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Edinburgh International Film Festival Launches its 2006 Programme

 

They're Off! And in the lead is The Flying Scotsman....The EIFF Programme for 2006 has launched and the 60th incarnation of the world's longest continually running film festival promises to be exceptional. There are treats for cineastes on every one of the 76 pages, ranging from the host of highly anticipated World Premieres and Gala screenings, through the star-studded Reel Life line-up, to the staggering diversity of international cinema in the Rosebud and Directors' Showcase sections.

 

Opening night sees a celebration of Scottish talent, as the Festival kicks off with the World Premiere of Douglas MacKinnon's The Flying Scotsman, starring Jonny Lee Miller and Brian Cox. This long awaited biopic charts the remarkable story of Graeme Obree, the heroic Scottish cyclist who broke multiple world records on a homemade bike. On closing night, audiences will be transported back to 1947 with a one-off screening of Carol Reed's noir classic Odd Man Out, in commemoration of the Film Festival's 60th edition.

Near hysteria will greet director Kevin Smith, making his Edinburgh debut for the UK premiere of his latest slacker opus, Clerks 2. EIFF Artistic Director Shane Danielsen will have the privilege of sharing a stage with Smith and some of cinema's most influential and celebrated figures of the past 40 years, as part of the Reel Life series of interviews. Among those to appear in the strongest Reel Life bill yet are; Oscar-winning director of Traffic Steven Soderbergh; acclaimed actor and Hollywood veteran Alan Arkin: and the legendary director of Night Moves, Arthur Penn.

A major retrospective showcasing the films of Penn and his contemporaries, entitled They Might Be Giants: Other Voices from the New American Cinema, will allow audiences the opportunity to experience rarely-seen seminal works as they were intended.

The Festival continues to champion innovative and challenging documentaries and this year sees the addition of a prestigious award to match this commitment. The Feature Documentary Award has been established to recognise compelling non-fiction filmmaking of style and integrity.

From the schlock horror of Late Night Romps, to the left-field aesthetics of the Black Box selection, to the internationally renowned Mirrorball music programme, there's an astounding variety of film and events to choose from for EIFF newcomers and regulars alike.

Copies of the Programme can be picked up from the Film Festival venues (Filmhouse, Cameo, Dominion and Cineworld) and at major cultural outlets throughout the city. You can also get a copy by calling the Programme hotline on 0131 229 2550.

Ticket sales for all films and events will commence on Friday 14 July at noon. Tickets can be purchased online, by calling 0131 623 8030, or in person at Filmhouse and Cineworld Fountainpark.