August Film Highlights
Between 2 Aug and 6 Sep the GFT hosts Play Poland, a touring film festival bringing Polish filmmaking to independent cinemas across Britain. Six films are included the season, all of which have received critical acclaim at various international festivals. Among the films being shown are Lynch (9 Aug), an investigation into the lynching of an elderly man in Poland in 2005, and Mystification (23 Aug), a drama that attempts to uncover the truth about the suicide of novelist and philosopher Stanislaw ‘Witkacy’ Witkiewicz and why, among other strange events, a woman's body was found in his coffin when he was exhumed.
The Screen Arts Festival is screening a selection of films and documentaries alongside theatre, dance and opera performances at the Cameo in Edinburgh and the Belmont in Aberdeen until 11 August. Included in the programme are Chimes at Midnight (1 Aug), a newly restored film by Orson Welles recounting the life of the Shakespeare character John Falstaff, and Martin Scorsese's deeply personal homage to director Elia Kazan, A Letter to Elia (10 Aug).
On 12 August the Belmont and the GFT are showing a special screening of documentary Just Do It: A Tale of Modern Day Outlaws. The film follows the lives and actions of people within political activist groups, such as Plane Stupid and Climate Camp, and the lengths they're willing to go to for what they believe in. The screening will be followed by a special live Q&A session featuring the director, Emily James.
While debate rages on whether the Edinburgh International Film Festival should return to its traditional August slot, a group of smart curators are beating them to the punch, bringing an exciting series of short film programmes, Film on the Fringe, to Edinburgh. Based at new Fringe venue Summerhall, the curators include KinoKlub, a newly formed surreal film collective that’ll be showing eye-popping shorts from such visionaries as Jan Svankmajer and The Brothers Quay (16 Aug); Future Shorts show their usual mix of local and international short films (6 Aug); and the mighty Glasgow Short Film Festival will be showcasing the best filmmakers from this year’s GSFF (6-7 Aug).
And finally, Lock Up Your Daughters (LUYD) continue their monthly queer cinema night at the GFT with Gus Van Sant’s New Queer Cinema touchstone My Own Private Idaho on 21 August. This cold, lyrical tale of unrequited love sees aimless young hustler Mike (River Phoenix) travel across America with the narcissistic Scott (Keanu Reeves) in search of his estranged mother. Expect a fiery introduction from a special LUYD guest.