Festival director Paul Ridd discusses world premieres, industry growth, and the high-octane industry lineup at this year's Edinburgh Film Fest.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is set to return on August 14, 2023, marking its revival after a period of flux. For its second edition under the leadership of Paul Ridd, the festival has introduced several significant changes and developments.
One of the most notable additions is the launch of a new major competition called The Sean Connery Prize. This competition features ten world premiere feature films, many from first-time filmmakers, and includes a £50,000 cash award voted for by audiences. This competition emphasizes discovery and offers something fresh for both audiences and the film industry, serving as a key new selling point for the festival [1].
The festival continues to balance emerging talent with established filmmakers, featuring world premieres from notable names like Ben Wheatley and acclaimed films from major global festivals such as Berlin, Cannes, and Sundance [1]. The festival's commitment to supporting filmmakers is evident, as it is not primarily focused on red-carpet events.
Ridd's leadership also focuses on direct audience and industry engagement. There has been an increase in the number of in-person conversations and industry interactions, with live on-stage discussions involving figures like Andrea Arnold, Ken Loach, and Jeremy Thomas. This focus on audience and industry engagement forms a central goal of Ridd’s leadership to enhance the festival's special communal atmosphere [1].
The industry program has been expanded with networking events, panels, and keynote talks. Sessions with prominent filmmakers and producers like Adele Romanski, Kevin Macdonald, Andrew Macdonald, Farhana Bhula, and Nia DaCosta are just a few examples. Panels explore diverse topics such as animation in Scotland and the interplay of fear in games and film [2].
The festival retains support from key funding bodies including Screen Scotland, the BFI Audience Projects Fund, EventScotland, and the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund, enabling these programmatic expansions [2][3].
Notable films featured in the festival include Reneé Zellweger's directorial debut, an animated short called They, as well as Low Rider and On The Sea. EIFF features new venues, including the Filmhouse, Cameo, Vue Omni, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre in the National Galleries of Scotland, and Tollcross Central Hall.
The festival also boasts a partnership between the industry programme and Amy Jackson and Lauren Dark's production company Unified. Ehsan Khoshbakht, co-director of Il Cinema Ritrovato, has worked with EIFF on repertory programming. Schoonmaker will participate in an in-conversation event at EIFF, and Reneé Zellweger will attend the festival with her directorial debut.
EIFF is positioned at the top of the awards corridor, with UK premieres often marking the start of the awards journey. The festival includes a variety of films, ranging from family-friendly fare to darker work. The opening film is Eva Victor's comedy drama Sorry, Baby. The Sean Connery prize and Thelma Schoonmaker prize for shorts are two central awards at EIFF.
In conclusion, Ridd’s second year sees EIFF deepen its commitment to discovery and audience engagement, introduce a high-profile competitive element with a significant cash prize, and enhance industry participation through an expanded program of panels, networking, and live conversations [1][2][4]. The festival is shaping up to be an exciting event for film enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.
[1] Edinburgh International Film Festival [2] Screen Scotland [3] BFI Audience Fund [4] EventScotland [5] Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund
Movies-and-TV enthusiasts can look forward to the Edinburgh International Film Festival, which promises a stellar lineup of new films, featuring world premieres from acclaimed filmmakers such as Ben Wheatley and notable films from global festivals like Berlin, Cannes, and Sundance [1]. The festivals' focus on entertainment includes the launch of The Sean Connery Prize, a major competition showcasing ten world premiere feature films and offering an £50,000 cash award voted for by audiences [1].
