Edinburgh’s
International Film Festival, which opened this
week, is the oldest continuous festival of cinema
in the world. It began in 1947. Driven by serious
folk in the world of film - including the inimitable
John Grierson, founding father of the documentary
- it quickly established itself as Scotland’s
one truly successful part of the global movie
business (at least till Sir Sean arrived). Not
excessively snobbish, like the European festivals,
or commercially crass like the early American
ventures, Edinburgh has maintained a rare balance
of populism and passion for the movies. Because
of that, across the decades, Hollywood has come
to Scotland in August - from Orson Welles to
Clint Eastwood. Often they came as unknowns
and left famous: like the time wannabe Robbie
Coltrane acted as festival chauffeur to only
slightly better known director, Martin Scorsese.
Sadly, this year, the star count is on the low
side, even if we include Mel B on the movie
A List. But Sean Penn will be there and - who
knows? - the other Sean too. But then, you never
know which usherette or chauffeur will be that
future Oscar winner.
In
recent years, the opening night of the Edinburgh
International Film Festival has been heralded
with a gathering of celebrities worthy of any
glitzy American premiere.
This year, however, the cast list is somewhat
less glittering.
Sean Penn is the only big Hollywood name lined
up to come to the festival, whilst the opening
premiere boasted an attendant cast which could
hardly be described as A-list.
The ubiquitous Ricky Ross, lead singer of Deacon
Blue, was joined by veteran actor Brian Cox,
Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, members of
the pop groups The Divine Comedy and Belle and
Sebastian, and Melanie Hill, from the first
series of Big Brother.
The attendance of the Scottish parliament’s
presiding officer Sir David Steel, Jack McConnell,
the education minister and Mike Russell, the
SNP’s education spokesman, gave the event
a flavour of Holyrood rather than Hollywood.
Despite the lack of big name attractions, promoters
of the festival are hoping for box office success.
The film festival opened with the international
premiere of the film Amelie, by Jean-Pierre
Jeunet, director of the widely-acclaimed Delicatessen.
The film, which has been a huge hit in France,
was being screened for the first time outside
France before its first public showing at the
city’s UGC cinema, where it was introduced
by Mr Jeunet.
Other debut screenings at this year’s festival
include world premieres of Gabriel and Me, by
Billy Elliot screenwriter Lee Hall - starring
Billy Connolly - and the romantic comedy Crush,
which stars Four Weddings and A Funeral actress
Andie MacDowell.
The festival also sees the first UK screening
of Lucky Break by The Full Monty director Peter
Cattaneo and the first non-US screening of Michael
Apted’s adaptation of Robert Harris’s
best-seller Enigma. The film’s producer,
Mick Jagger, is expected to attend the event.
Sean Penn whose latest film, The Pledge, starring
Jack Nicholson, Benicio Del Toro and Vanessa
Redgrave, makes its UK debut in Edinburgh, was
due in town later this week.
Lizzie Francke, the festival’s artistic
director, explained why Amelie had been chosen
for the premiere.
She said: "I loved Amelie for its sheer exuberance,
wit and charm. It’s the perfect opener
for the Festival and a gift to our audiences
for my last year as artistic director.
"I can’t think of a happier note to open
on and a better one to set the tone for the
following two weeks."
