Edinburgh International Film Festival Unveils 2017 Programme

The line-up for the 71st Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has been unveiled this morning by artistic director, Mark Adams. This year’s EIFF (21st June – 2nd July) will comprise a total 151 features from 46 countries including 17 world premieres, 12 international premieres, 9 European premieres, and 69 UK premieres.

Highlights include the UK Premiere of Disney-Pixar’s animation, Cars 3, appearances from Stanley Tucci, Oliver Stone, and Kevin Bacon, and the Opening and Closing Gala premieres of the previously announced God’s Own Country, and England Is Mine. There will also be a special screening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark accompanied by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra performing the score live.

Best of British

The Best of British strand includes Bryn Higgins’ Access All Areas featuring Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens; Simon Hunter’s Edie starring Sheila Hancock; the Donmar Warehouse’s all-female adaptation of Julius Caesar, and Danny Huston’s The Last Photograph.

Other films in the strand include modern silent film London Symphony; Justin Edgar’s The Marker; Daniel Jerome Gill’s Modern Life Is Rubbish; Sarmad Masud’s My Pure Land; abuse drama Romans starring Orlando Bloom; and That Good Night with Charles Dance, and the late John Hurt.

Special events

The festival will feature Q&A screenings with Oliver Stone, who will present a special 30th anniversary screening of Wall Street, and author Ian Rankin who will present crime drama Reichenbach Falls.

Actress Kyra Sedgwick will also present her directorial debut, Story Of A Girl, and take part in a Q&A with the film’s star Kevin Bacon. Also taking part in In-Person events will be composer David Arnold (Casino Royale); actor Bernard Hill (Lord Of The Rings); director Lizzie Borden (Born In Flames); Richard. E. Grant; and actor Stanley Tucci whose Final Portrait will receive its UK Premiere at the Festival.

Competition titles

WP = World Premiere / IP = International Premiere / EP = European Premiere / UK = UK Premiere

THE MICHAEL POWELL AWARD FOR BEST BRITISH FEATURE FILM

British films in competition for the Michael Powell Award – for Best British Feature Film, and Best Performance in a British Feature Film – includes eight world premieres, three UK premieres, and one European premiere. The contenders include:

Daphne (UK)
England Is Mine (WP)
God’s Own Country (UK)
Julius Caesar (WP)
Kaleidoscope (UK)
The Last Photograph (WP)
London Symphony (WP)
The Marker (WP)
My Pure Land (WP)
The Pugilist (EP)
Romans (WP)
That Good Night (WP)

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM COMPETITION

The competitive international competition highlights filmmaking from around the world that EIFF programmers term “imaginative, innovative, and deserving of wider recognition”. They include:

Glory (UK)
Hostages (UK)
In This Corner of the World (UK)
Maudie (UK)
Menashe (UK)
Newton (UK)
The Oath (UK)
Rage (UK)
Sexy Durga (UK)
Story of a Girl (WP)
Tom of Finland (UK)
Waterboys (IP)

AUDIENCE AWARD

This year’s nominees for the Audience Award, from across the programme, include:

Edie (WP)
Freak Show (UK)
Just Charlie (UK)
The King’s Choice (UK)
The Little Hours (UK)
Satan Said Dance (UK)
Song to Song (UK)
Story of a Girl (WP)
Teenage Superstars (WP)
Tom of Finland (UK)
Waterboys (IP)
The Yellow Birds (EP)