Edinburgh International Film Festival closes with Whisky Galore!
- Published
The remake of Whisky Galore! is narrated by Gregor Fisher, who plays the local postmaster, Macroon.
The film is based on Sir Compton Mackenzie's whimsical tale of a Hebridean community's efforts to hide away the cases of whisky plundered from a cargo ship which runs aground in gale force winds. It stars acclaimed Scottish actor James Cosmo, who is a patron of the film festival, as the local minister in the film.
Stars of the film braved the rain to attend the closing night gala screening at Edinburgh's Festival Theatre. Eddie Izzard, who plays the hapless English Home Guard commander Captain Waggett, arrived at the premiere in full Highland dress and sporting red nail varnish.
Rab C Nesbitt and Last King of Scotland actress, Barbera Rafferty and Patrick Doyle, the film's composer, joked with photographers before the screening.
Game of Thrones star Ellie Kendrick appears in the film as Catriona Macroon, the postmaster's daughter.
After the film, Braveheart's Angus MacFadyen was among the guests who enjoyed a dram or two in Edinburgh University's Playfair Library. He was in Edinburgh this year as a member of the jury for Best International Film and to promote his own directorial debut, Macbeth Unhinged.
Earlier in the week, When Harry Met Sally star Meg Ryan flew in from LA for the UK premiere of her directorial debut film, Ithaca - an elegant and moving story of a teenager delivering telegrams in World War Two.
The star of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Glasgow-born Billy Boyd, was back in Scotland for the world premiere of his latest film, White Island, a dark comedy crime thriller set on the holiday island of Ibiza, directed by Benjamin Turner.
Sunset Song's Agyness Deyn, British acting legend Jonathan Pryce and Olafur Darri Olaffssohn joined other cast members for the world premiere of The White King, a futuristic adaptation of György Dragomán's multi-award-winning novel about a young boy's search to find his imprisoned father.
In the first week of the festival, Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos joined Chemikal Underground record label boss Stewart Henderson and film director, Niall McCann, for the world premiere of his film, Lost in France. It relives a moment in history which saw a collection of leading lights from Scotland's influential independent music scene travelling to northern France by bus for a one-off gig.
French actor Dominique Pinon, best known for his appearances in Betty Blue, Amélie, Diva and Delicatessen, was in Edinburgh for an In-Person Event. This year's Film Festival celebrated the Cinema du Look movement, focusing on the works of Jean-Jacques Beineix, Luc Besson, and Leos Carax.
Hungarian Director Janos Edelényi was in Edinburgh for the European Premiere of his latest comedy drama, The Carer. He appeared along with the main stars of the film - Brian Cox, who plays a frustrated and grumpy retired Shakespearean actor suffering from Parkinson's Disease, and Coco König, who plays his young Hungarian refugee carer, with acting aspirations of her own.
Award-winning Misfits star Robert Sheehan flew in for the world premiere of Jet Trash, based on Simon Lewis's cult novel, Go. He posed on the red carpet with co-star Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond), who was also in town for the UK premiere of Tiger Raid.
Cult film director Kevin Smith was such a hit at his In-Person event, that it overran by nearly two hours. The multi-award winning actor/director of Clerks, Mallrats and Dogma was also in Edinburgh for the UK premiere of his latest madcap adventure, Yoga Hosers. The film is the second in Smith's True North Trilogy, starring his daughter, Harley Quinn Smith.
My Feral Heart, directed by Jane Gull, stars Steven Brandon and tells the story of a fiercely independent young man with Down's Syndrome who is thrown into a daunting new environment following a sudden bereavement. The film, a hard-hitting tale of tragedy, honesty and the power of unforeseen relationships. is part of the Best of British series at this year's festival.
This year's prestigious Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film, which honours imagination and creativity in British filmmaking, was selected by a jury comprising of acclaimed actress Kim Cattrall, Edinburgh-based Spanish filmmaker and actress Icíar Bollaín and the iconic Highlander actor Clancy Brown. The award went to new Scottish filmmaker, Ben Sharrock, for his directorial debut, Pikadero, which received its UK premiere at the festival.
- Published16 June 2016