We're delighted to announce a number of exciting new additions to our high-profile line-up of award-winning filmmakers, acclaimed producers, on-screen stars and jurors ahead of its Opening Night Gala on Wednesday 21 June, 2017, including Ewen Bremner, Toby Jones, Kevin Guthrie, Ella Parnell, Emily Beecham, Ana Ularu and Ian Hart.
Notable Guests
Edinburgh’s own Ewen Bremner (Wonder Woman, T2 Trainspotting, No Song to Sing) will return to the Festival for a special In Person event as part of the Festival’s Youth Hub programme on Friday 23 June, along with the World Premiere of The Dark Mile, in which Bremner’s daughter, Harmony Rose Bremner stars. Bremner also produced short, No Song to Sing, which will screen as part of the Festival’s dedicated SHORTS strand.
Other notable guests now set to grace the Festival will include previous Michael Powell juror, Ian Hart (God’s Own Country, Modern Life is Rubbish); award-winning director Mark Kidel (Becoming Cary Grant); Director Rupert Evans (Kaleidoscope); actress Ana Ularu (The Marker, Index Zero, The Man Who Was Thursday); actor Ralph Ineson (Sherlock, The Huntsman: Winter's War, Game of Thrones); artist Andy Goldsworthy (Leaning into the Wind); actress Ella Purnell (Access All Areas, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children); writer and director Aisling Walsh (Maudie); actor Kevin Guthrie (Edie, Whisky Galore, Dunkirk); actor Danny Huston (The Last Photograph), actress Emily Beecham (Daphne), Toby Jones (Kaleidoscope, Alice Through the Looking Glass); and Paul Brannigan (The Dark Mile, Edie); along with previously announced guests including Trudie Styler, Juliet Stevenson, Oliver Stone, Shauna Macdonald, Kyra Sedgwick, Kevin Bacon, Stanley Tucci, Josh O’Connor, Alex Secareanu, Ian Hart, Gemma Jones, Francis Lee, Jack Lowden, Jessica Brown Findlay, Laurie Kynaston and Mark Gill.
Meanwhile the previously announced THE FUTURE IS HISTORY retrospective will attract guests including Richard E Grant, Peter Ferdinando, Steven Mackintosh, Kate Dickie, Tam Dean Burn, Bernard Hill, Matt Johnson, Johanna St Michaels, Jacob Sahlqvist, Gerard Johnson Cavan Clerkin, Benny Young, Niall Fulton and Polly Maberly, all in attendance to support and deliver a range of exclusive events and screenings.
A host of Polish filmmaking talent will also be in town for the Festival’s Polish Focus strand, including Katarzyna Adamik, who will bring her latest directorial foray, Amok; Animals’ actress Mona Petri and director Greg Zglinski; and Stanisław Cywka, Sebastian Łach, Agnieszka Podsiadlik and director Kuba Czekaj for The Erlprince, among others.
Jurors
Confirmed for the Michael Powell Jury are In Person-participant and renowned composer David Arnold (Die Another Day, Casino Royale, Independence Day), BAFTA-nominated Scottish film and television writer Andrea Gibb, and International Film Festival Rotterdam Artistic Director, Bero Beyer. Scottish actress Shauna Macdonald (The Descent), Dallas International Film Festival Artistic Director James Faust and critically acclaimed stage and screen actor, Bernard Hill (Lord of the Rings, Titanic, Boys From The Blackstuff), will sit on the International Jury.
British Council Film Programme Manager, Wendy Mitchell, English actor Ralph Ineson (Sherlock, The Huntsman: Winter's War, The Office), and award-winning documentary filmmaker Simon El Habre will sit on the Documentary Jury, whilst journalist and author Marina Richter, Screen International Star of Tomorrow Charity Wakefield (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Doctor Who), and actor Rupert Evans (American Pastoral, The Boy), will be judging the Short film titles in competition.
In Person Events
Previously announced In Person events, will see Kyra Sedgwick marking her directorial debut for Story of a Girl, along with the film’s star Kevin Bacon. They will also take part in a special Q&A screening of The Woodsman in which they both star. Also taking part will be award-winning composer David Arnold (Die Another Day, Casino Royale, Independence Day); acclaimed film, television and stage actor Bernard Hill (Lord of the Rings, Titanic); director Lizzie Borden (Born in Flames); actor, screenwriter and director Richard. E. Grant (Jackie, Withnail & I) and Academy Award-nominated actor Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones, The Hunger Games), whose labour-of-love film Final Portrait (Geoffrey Rush, Armie Hammer) will receive its UK Premiere at the Festival.
Diane Henderson, EIFF Deputy Artistic Director said: “EIFF continues to be an important hub for Scottish, UK and international filmmakers and we’re honoured to be hosting so many talented guests from around the world in the Festival’s special anniversary year.”