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BBC News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Renee Zellweger film to premiere at Edinburgh Film Festival
She's one of the biggest names in Hollywood, with one of the smallest films in this year's Edinburgh Film Festival Zellweger's first release as a filmmaker, "They", is an animated short which will receive its world premiere in Scotland's nine-minute film will be screened as part of a programme of animation shorts at Cameo, Filmhouse and Vue cinemas in programme describes it as a hero's plot for peace that backfires with drastic consequences. 'Beautiful animation' The festival's director and chief executive Paul Ridd said the festival was approached by Zellweger's producer at an early stage and that they "fell in love" with the film."It's such an honour to have her first film premiere with us, and a world premiere too," he said. "It's a beautiful animation and so interesting for someone so iconic for her film roles, turning her hand to filmmaking."The festival director said he was unable to confirm if Zellweger would attend the premiere but said an announcement about guests would be made in the coming is the second festival under Mr Ridd, who relaunched it last year after a difficult period. "It has been an honour to bring this festival back to life," he festival, along with the Belmont in Aberdeen and Filmhouse in Edinburgh, was forced to close in October 2022 after parent company CIMI went into Edinburgh International Festival, which has run alongside the film festival since 1947, helped it stage a small number of events in year saw the event extended to a week and although this year's festival will not run any longer, it will branch out into a number of new venues, including the Hawthornden Theatre in the National Gallery of Scotland and the newly reopened Filmhouse. The festival's chairman Andrew Macdonald will also take to the stage for an in-conversation event with his filmmaker brother Kevin 78th programme includes films from Scotland, Ireland, Croatia, Australia and previously announced, it will open with the black comedy Sorry Baby and close with a new documentary about Irvine Welsh, Reality is Not of the films will compete for the £50,000 Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, which is decided by an audience vote and announced at the end of the festival. The winner of last year's award, The Ceremony, will be released in cinemas in the festival's former patron, also features on-screen in a season of films called Sacred Bonds which will include 4K restorations of Dr No and From Russia with festival will also stage the world premiere of Ben Wheatley's new film Bulk and screen The Toxic Avenger, which stars Peter Dinklage and Elijah Wood.
Edinburgh Reporter
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Films to be shown in several venues at this year's EIFF
This year at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) audiences will be invited back to the Filmhouse which has recently reopened and a new pop up venue at the Hawthornden Theatre in National Galleries of Scotland on the Mound as well as the Cameo and Vue Omni. The venue for industry and press will be at Tollcross Central Hall where several In Conversation events will also take place. EIFF will run from 14-20 August 2025. CEO and Festival Director Paul Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa are in charge of the Festival which continues to discover new film talent and engage with audiences, industry members and local, national and international media. Paul Ridd, CEO and Festival Director of EIFF, said: 'We are thrilled to be working with the reopened Filmhouse as well as Vue Cinema this year. These are exciting firsts for us as the completely new, revamped and relaunched iteration of the Festival going into our second year, but they carry with them the legacy of EIFF's history in the city and deep connection with these vital venues. We are also delighted to return to The Cameo Cinema and to transform Tollcross Central Hall into a buzzy Festival Hub and a beautiful space at the National Galleries Scotland: National into a state of the art pop-up screening venue. We cannot wait to pack these big, beautiful spaces with our rich programme of film screenings, events and talks across the seven days of our Festival. Bring it on again!' Directed by Paul Ridd and the Festival Producer, Emma Boa, the EIFF team aims to create a world-class showcase for independent film and filmmaking talent. Ridd is supported by the EIFF Board, led by Chair Andrew Macdonald of DNA Films, producer of the iconic Edinburgh-based film Trainspotting; and Vice Chair Amy Jackson, producer of BAFTA award-winning indie, Aftersun; as well as Peter Rice, former Chairman of General Entertainment at Disney and President of 21st Century Fox, Teresa Moneo, Former Director of UK Film, Netflix, Isla Macgillivray, Partner at Saffrey and Romana Ramzan, Producer at No Code Studio. Programme The full programme will be launched at 4pm on 2 July. PHOTO Kat Gollock Like this: Like Related
The Herald Scotland
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
10 Edinburgh International Film Festival line-up highlights
Some of Scotland's newest filmmaking talent will be showcased alongside some of the screen industry's leading figures across seven days in August. Read more: The event, led for a second year by director Paul Ridd and producer Emma Boa, will return to the recently-reopened Filmhouse for the first time in three years and expand to the Scottish National Gallery for the first time as part of a drive to attract new audiences. Here are just a few of the highlights of the programme which will unfold from August 14-20. Reality Is Not Enough: An "intimate and personal" documentary following the best-selling Edinburgh author Irvine Welsh will get its world premiere on the final night of the festival. Screen stars Liam Neeson, Ruth Negga, Stephen Graham and Maxine Peake will all read from Welsh's novels in director Paul Sng's film, which is said to reveal the writer's to reveal the 'inner world and outer life." New made-in-Scotland fantasy Grow is set in a self-proclaimed 'pumpkin capital of the world.' (Image: Supplied) Grow: Scottish filmmaker John McPhail, director of zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse, assembled a star-studded cast for a fantasy set in the self-proclaimed pumpkin capital of the world. Golda Roshuevel, Nick Frost, Jeremy Swift, Alan Carr, Jane Horrocks, Tim McInnnery, Alan Carr, Sharon Rooney and Sanjeev Kohli all appear in the tale - shot entirely in Scotland - of a curmudgeonly farmer who takes in an unloved niece after discovering her in an orphanage. The Golden Spurtle: The annual world championship porridge-making contest in the Highland village of Carrbridge comes under the spotlight in Constantine Costi's documentary. The film, which captures the run-up to the final competition organised by long-time figurehead Charlie Miller, is said to offer 'a window into a uniquely competitive world.' The Golden Spurtle goes behind the scenes at the annual porridge-making contest staged in the Highland village of Carrbridge. (Image: Supplied) About a Hero: Artificial intelligence and the work of German filmmaker Werner Herzog are brought together in a documentary feature in an 'absurd deepfake universe,' based on a script generated by AI from his body of work. Piotr Winiewicz's film is billed as 'an eerie, fascinating exploration of the evolving nature of artificial intelligence.' The Toxic Avenger: The festival's 'Midnight Madness' strand will be brought to a case with a long-awaited remake of the first instalment of the superhero comedy franchise. Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood star in Macon Blair's feature, described as 'staggeringly violent and darkly humorous' by the festival. The Toxic Avenger will be screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. (Image: Supplied) Dragonfly: Academy Award nominees Brenda Blethyn and Andrea Riseborough star in a story of two neighbours who forge an unlikely friendship. The younger woman takes it upon herself to care for her neighbour, but as suspicions over her intentions grow, a shock act triggers a violent chain reaction. Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn star in the new suburban thriller Dragonfly. (Image: Supplied) Sean Connery Talent Lab: Six 'calling cards' from new Scottish filmmaking talent feature in the first showcase for a new venture launched last year by the Sean Connery Foundation and the National Film and Television School. Their short films focus on a young boy beginning to unearth a secret family trauma, an amateur basketball player under mounting pressure, a young woman who stands up to her employer at a grand ceilidh, the impact of addiction, a doctor forced to choose between medical protocol and her humanity, and a supermarket bargain hunt which turns deadly. Sacred Bonds: The six classic James Bond films Sir Sean Connery starred in between 1962 and 1971 will get rare cinema screenings at the festival was a long-time patron of, at the recently-reopened Filmhouse, close to his Fountainbridge birthplace. Members of the Edinburgh-born actor's family will introduce Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds are Forever. Andrea Arnold in conversation: The BAFTA-winning British writer and director will be at the festival to discuss a career which began as a TV dancer and presenter, before she began making short films in the late 1990s. She is best known for her features Fish Tank, American Honey, Bird and Red Road, her Glasgow-set debut starring Kate Dickie and Tony Curran, which will be screened at the festival. Kevin Macdonald and Andrew Macdonald in conversation: The two brothers have been two of the leading filmmakers of recent decades. Kevin's credits as director include the TV thriller State of Play, the feature films The Last King of Scotland and The Mauritanian, and the documentaries Whitney, Touching the Void and One Day in September. Andrew is best known as a producer of Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, Sunshine on Leith, 28 Days Later and The Beach.
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Scotsman
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh International Film Festival: 'Pop up' screen at National Gallery to host screenings in August
The newly-reopened Filmhouse will also be a venue for the festival Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A 'pop up' screen in the bowels of the National Gallery of Scotland is to host screenings for the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). The Hawthornden Theatre, which usually hosts conferences and lectures inside the gallery, located on The Mound in the heart of Edinburgh city centre, is to act alongside the newly-refurbished Filmhouse and the Cameo cinema as a venue for the annual event in August. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The festival will also use space at Fringe comedy venue Monkey Barrel, as well as Vue in Fountainbridge. Meanwhile, Tollcross Central Hall will act as the EIFF's Festival Hub for industry and press delegates, as well as hosting public-facing in-conversation events with major filmmaking talent. The festival's industry programme will run in this venue, including panels, talks, networking events and meeting spaces, open to delegates each day of the festival. Monkey Barrel Comedy will also play host to some of this year's festival events. Paul Ridd, chief executive and festival director of EIFF, said 'We are thrilled to be working with the reopened Filmhouse as well as Vue Cinema this year. These are exciting firsts for us as the completely new, revamped and relaunched iteration of the festival going into our second year, but they carry with them the legacy of EIFF's history in the city and deep connection with these vital venues.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Ridd added: 'We are also delighted to return to The Cameo Cinema and to transform Tollcross Central Hall into a buzzy Festival Hub and a beautiful space at the National Galleries Scotland: National into a state of the art pop-up screening venue. We cannot wait to pack these big, beautiful spaces with our rich programme of film screenings, events and talks across the seven days of our festival.' The Filmhouse, Vue and Cameo cinemas will be joined by the Hawthornden Theatre in the National Gallery of Scotland on the Mound as venues for this year's Edinburgh International Film festival. | EIFF The EIFF will announce its full programme line-up later this week. Sorry, Baby, an indie film that premiered to critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival is to open the reborn film festival's second edition. Meanwhile, the World Premiere of Paul Sng's immersive documentary Reality Is Not Enough - an exploration of Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh - as the closing night film of this year's festival. The autobiographical film combines intimate observational footage, rare archive film clips and readings from his novels narrated by screen stars Liam Neeson, Maxine Peake, Ruth Negga and Stephen Graham, and musician Nick Cave. Reality Is Not Enough was co-financed and produced by Edinburgh-based production company LS Films, with the support of Screen Scotland and with Sarah Drummond as executive producer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The EIFF's connection with the Filmhouse has a long history. Arts charity the Centre for the Moving Image was behind both the venue and the festival. However, the organisation fell into the hands of administrators in 2022. The Filmhouse was subsequently shuttered for two years and reopened last weekend after a £1.7 million refurbishment and a lengthy fundraising campaign.
The Herald Scotland
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Edinburgh film festival to run 'pop-up' at National Gallery
Director Paul Ridd, who is overseeing the event for a second year, said the move was part of efforts to attract new audiences to the festival. Read more: The EIFF, which will launch its full programme on Wednesday, will be returning to the Filmhouse for the first time since 2022 following its reopening to the public over the weekend after being rescued from closure and undergoing a £2m revamp. Another long-time festival venue, The Cameo, in Tollcross, will be used again for gala screenings, along with the Vue at the Omni Centre. The Hawthornden Lecture Theatre will be turned into a 'pop-up' cinema for the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August. (Image: National Galleries of Scotland) The film festival, which will be running the gallery pop-up in partnership with Fringe venue operator Assembly, will also be running events at the Monkey Barrel Comedy Club in the Old Town. A new EIFF delegate hub will be created at the Central Hall in Tollcross with the 1000-capacity venue also hosting the EIFF's main in-conversation events with leading actors and filmmakers. The underground Hawthornden Theatre, which is normally used by the National Galleries for talks and conferences, will be turned into a 'pop-up' cinema for the film festival in the venue, which is beneath The Mound precinct. The Scottish National Gallery will play host to the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August. (Image: Gillian Hayes) Specialist projection equipment will be installed at the venue, which was opened in 2004 as part of the Playfair Project to expand the attraction and create an underground link beneath two 19th century buildings on The Mound. The new EIFF venue, which will have a 150-strong capacity, is expected to host up to five screenings a day in the latest incarnation of the festival, which dates back to 1947. The event was rebooted last year after a turbulent period since it was suddenly forced to cease trading in October 2022 when the arts charity behind the event, the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), went into administration. The CMI also ran the Filmhouse, which was eventually put up for sale, but has reopened after its new owners agreed a long-term lease allowing it to be brought back to life. The EIFF went ahead in 2023 as part of the 2024 Edinburgh International Festival's programme, before being revived by a new board led by the leading Scottish film producer Andrew Macdonald. Paul Ridd, who leads the organising of the new-look festival with producer Emma Boa, introduced a number of new innovations in his first year, including partnerships with Fringe venues, and the launch of filmmaking prizes backed by Oscar-winning film editor Thelma Schoonmaker and the family of Sir Sean Connery. Mr Ridd said: "We want to bring films and the film festival to a film festival audience, but we also want to reach audiences who are engaging with all the other art forms in August. "The proximity of the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre within the National Gallery to Fringe venues make it an absolutely opportune space for us to use. "It's a really beautiful big space and we will be kitting it out state-of-the-art equipment to create a pop-up venue. "I think it's going to be brilliant and it will renew our commitment to show films in non-traditional spaces as well as in cinemas. "We will be running screenings throughout the day into the evening. "The idea with all the spaces that we are using is that we have something going on all the time for a lot of different audiences so they all feel buzzy and exciting." Anne Lyden, director-general at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: 'We're so excited that the Edinburgh International Film Festival is coming to the National Galleries of Scotland this summer. 'Our mission is to make art work for everyone, and hosting film screenings in the National gallery is a perfect way to bring in a new audience who might not have thought about visiting before. 'The Hawthornden Theatre is the perfect location, a unique space to enjoy films right in the heart of the city centre. We can't wait to welcome the festival this August.' The Filmhouse was a key venue for the film festival for decades before its sudden closure nearly three years ago. A group of former staff led a bid to rescue the venue, which reopened on Friday after a campaign backed by stars including Jack Lowden, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Emma Thompson, Dougray Scott, Kate Dickie and Timothy Spall. Mr Ridd added: "It's wonderful that a key Scottish institution like the Filmhouse is back and that we'll be able to use all four of its screens throughout the festival. It's very exciting and I can't wait to see films in there again. "It's been inspiring to see the Filmhouse come together again and all the work that the team has done to get it back up and running again. The real magic moment is going to be when we have our first screening in there."
