Edinburgh International Film Festival is set to return for its 73rd year, having recently announced its Opening and Closing Films. As usual the festival, the longest continually running film festival in the world, is shining a spotlight on UK talent with a pair of homegrown film choices to bookend the event.
Opening proceedings on 19th June, dark Scottish comedy Boyz in the Wood is the debut feature of music video director Ninian Doff. Billed as a wild and offbeat journey into the Scottish Highlands with doses of drugs, violence and pagan horror, the film features a young cast of up-and-comers, supported by Scottish screen stars James Cosmo (Highlander) and Kate Dickie (Game of Thrones) with Brit favourites Eddie Izzard (Valkyrie) and Alice Lowe (Prevenge)
“Four teenage boys, brought to the Highlands as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, are left in the wilderness with only the vaguest sense of direction and sent on their way. Disillusioned Dean (Rian Gordon), inept arsonist Duncan (Lewis Gribben) and would-be DJ Beatroot (Viraj Juneja) are joined by home-schooled Ian (Samuel Bottomley), and the four immediately land themselves in trouble. They destroy their only map, discover explosive hash and realise they are being hunted by a pair of tweed-wearing upper-crust masked terrors (Eddie Izzard and Georgie Glen) who are aiming to purge the Highlands of disenfranchised youth.”
Closing the festival on 30th June is Mrs Lowry & Son, Adrian Noble’s biopic of painter L.S. Lowry. Portraying the artist is Timothy Spall, who picked up the Best Actor Award at the 2014 Cannes film festival for his portrayal of another British painter in Mr. Turner. Legendary actress Vanessa Redgrave (Blowup, The Devils) plays the 'Mrs Lowry' of the title, with whom the artist lived until his death.
“The film follows Lowry in the beginnings of his career, as he yearns for his work to be appreciated in London. However, his disdainful mother, Elizabeth actively tries to dissuade her bachelor son from pursuing his artistic ambitions. Elizabeth never fails to voice her opinion at what a disappointment he is to her. This powerful, yet humorous story imagines the impact this obsessive mother and son relationship had on the great artist.
L.S. Lowry became internationally famous for his depictions of 20th century industrial life in the North West of England, and the legacy of his work remains a huge presence in the region, not least at The Lowry, a purpose-built art gallery in Salford Quays.”
Edinburgh International Film Festival will run from 19th June - 30th June for more details visit the festival website here.