EIFF unveils Scottish talent lineup for 2015
A clutch of new Scottish films have been added to the lineup for the 2015 Edinburgh Film Festival, with new work featuring Frankie Boyle and Peter Mullan, and a trio of documentaries on cult Scottish musicians among the highlights.
Swung, the big-screen adaptation of Scottish author Ewan Morrison’s debut novel starring The Skin I Live In’s Elena Anaya, gets its world premiere at this year’s Festival, alongside the previously-announced gala screenings for Robert Carlyle's The Legend of Barney Thomson, and Iona, starring Ruth Negga of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Also new to the feature film programme are Hector, starring Peter Mullan and Gina McKee, and Norfolk, the new film from former EIFF short film award winner Martin Radich starring Denis Menochet (Inglourious Basterds). The world premiere of comedy Scottish Mussel, starring Martin Compston and Rufus Hound, will also take place at this year's Festival.
Flying Scotsman doc Battle Mountain screens at EIFF
In its documentary programme, EIFF will play host to the world premiere of Big Gold Dream, Grant McPhee’s documentary on the story of seminal Edinburgh record label Fast Product. The screening will be followed by live performances from some of the artists associated with the label, including Subway Sect frontman Vic Godard.
Also added to the EIFF programme are documentaries on The KLF’s Bill Drummond – Stefan Schwietert’s Imagine Waking Up Tomorrow and All Music Has Disappeared follows Drummond’s new choral project The17 – and Marillion frontman Fish, aka Derek Dick, who is profiled in Artur Guza’s Polska. Both Drummond and Dick will be in attendance at screenings.
EIFF 2015 also features the world premiere of Battle Mountain, David Street’s documentary on Scottish cyclist Graham Obree’s attempt to break the human-powered land speed record, with Obree in attendance at the festival.
In short films, there are chances to see the directorial debut of Karen Gillan (Not Another Happy Ending, Doctor Who, Guardians of the Galaxy) in Coward, as well as the European premiere of Gasping, directed by Still Game's Greg Hemphill and starring Frankie Boyle.
The 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival runs from 17-28 June; the full programme will be unveiled on Wed 27 May.