THE 74th Edinburgh International Film Festival is to go ahead from 18-25 August this year.
The in-person event is set to deliver indoor and outside film experiences as well as a range of online screenings aimed at broadcasting films to a UK wide audience.
This year’s festival is focused on bringing communities together and showcasing Scottish and British filmmaking talent.
The event aims to celebrate culture and bring people together.
With a significant aim to bring people together in unique cultural experiences and to address social issues including climate change.
Ken Hay, CEO of Edinburgh International Film Festival, said: “We all love film and we’re delighted that EIFF is back in 2021, focusing on bringing communities together and celebrating the communal cinema experience as widely and inclusively as possible.
“The Festival will play a leading role in hailing the return to cinema-going and champion Scottish and UK films to audiences and industry around the world. We also believe that in this year particularly, that EIFF has a strong role to play in highlighting key social issues and will seek to deliver a programme that inspires curiosity and action in our audiences.”
The event will offer a range of different events
The festival will feature a series of different events including free outdoor showings of films in St Andrew Square.
The free event will run from August 19-25 for the ‘Film Fest in the City’ which is delivered by Johnnie Walker, Innis & Gunn and EventScotland.
Festival goers can also experience ‘Film Fest on the Fourth’ from July 31 to August 1 which will show a range of family-friendly films in the setting of an outdoor cinema space at Port Edgar Marina, supported by EventScotland to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21.
Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “I am delighted that the Edinburgh International Film Festival is returning this summer with a programme that extends across Scotland.
“As well as celebrating the collective cinema experience, the Festival will also help writers, directors and producers take next steps towards their first feature film through the Talent Lab 2021 programme supported by the Scottish Government.”
This year will see a new creative programme of feature films, documentaries, animations and even experimental films which are programmed by a team of regular and guest programmers guided by Nick Varley.
Guest programmers will include former Fox Searchlight and Warner Bros programmer Christophe Mercier and Nada Cirjanic previously from Great Point Media and Independent Film Sales.
Documentary programmer Rohan Crickmar will also join the team along with Abigail Addison who will programme shorts and Jenny Clarke who is in charge of experimental films.
Full details of the festival will be released in due course.
A complete programme will be announced, and tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 28 July.
Cllr Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’re proud to continue our support of the world’s oldest continuous film festival which explores new ideas in filmmaking and is known for heralding and debating the latest developments in cinema.
“It was much missed last year and I look forward to the return to the collective cinema experience with events and screenings planned for the Filmhouse and St Andrew Square as well as the online platform for audiences to enjoy from home.”
He added: “Public safety will of course remain a priority, and we can all very much look forward to the full programme announcement in July.”
