EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Here’s a small selection of some EIFF 2013 highlights not to be missed
Wed 19 Jun
Opening Gala: Breathe In Keith (Guy Pearce), a high-school music teacher and family man in well-to-do Westchester County, New York, still nurtures his dream of a life devoted to music. His bohemian ideals and his impatience with his current bourgeois situation are inflamed by the sudden arrival of an exchange student from the UK (Felicity Jones), whose personal maturity and passion for art set her apart from her classmates and drive her and Keith together. A visually eloquent and emotionally intense portrait of life roles and relationships at the breaking point. European Premiere, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 9.15pm. Thu 20 Jun
I am Breathing When Neil Platt is diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at the age of 33, he makes the unusual decision to document his final months, not just in a blog (which he painstakingly dictates via frustratingly inaccurate speech recognition software) but by inviting a film crew into the home he shares with his tireless wife Louise and toddler son Oscar. The result is a heartbreaking, funny and tender portrayal of incredible fortitude and love. Filmhouse, 6pm; also Sun 23 Jun, Cineworld, 4.25pm.
The East The East is a group of young eco- terrorists who target corporations they accuse of crimes against the environment and public health. Brit Marling plays a young agent for an independent security firm who goes undercover as a would-be radical to infiltrate the East and finds her sympathies sorely tested. Produced by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. A stylish, compelling and timely thriller. Cineworld, 6pm; also Sun 23 Jun, Cineworld, 1.15pm. Days of Grace In a provincial town, the wife of an aviator-turned-garage mechanic becomes obsessed with flying and sets out to beat the women’s record for long-distance solo flight. A beautiful and stirring film with rich portraits of both small-town life and a devoted married couple. Cineworld, 6.05pm; also Sun 23 Jun, Cineworld, 8.55pm.
Sofia’s Last Ambulance Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria, has over two million inhabitants and only 13 ambulances. This beautifully observed, affectionate and surprisingly optimistic film follows the crew of one of these hard-pressed vehicles, doctor Krassi, nurse Mila and driver Plamen, as, armed with dedication, humour and cigarettes, they struggle to save lives in the face of a lack of resources, a crumbling infrastructure and roads that are more pothole than tarmac. Cineworld, 6.10pm; also Fri 21 Jun, Cineworld, 8pm. Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction This intimate and richly atmospheric portrait captures the enigma and charisma of one of America’s greatest living actors. Revealing himself more through his idiosyncratic singing than
through what he says, Stanton emerges as a loner as deep and as multi-sided as any of the characters he has played. David Lynch, Wim Wenders, Sam Shepard, Kris Kristofferson and Debbie Harry provide testimony. The dry and lyrical images are courtesy of master cinematographer and EIFF patron Seamus McGarvey. Cineworld, 8pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Filmhouse, 10pm.
What Maisie Knew Little Maisie (Onata Aprile) is the casualty of the acrimonious divorce of two rich Manhattanites: rock star Julianne Moore and art dealer Steve Coogan. Abandoned by her self-absorbed parents, Maisie is left to the informal custody of their new partners, waiter Alexander Skarsgård and nanny Joanna Vanderham. Brilliant performances and inspired direction make this updating of Henry James’s novel an outstanding comedy-drama of contemporary adult relationships, as seen from the point of view of an innocent child. Cineworld, 8.30pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Filmhouse, 6.15pm.
The Deep When a fishing boat sinks in the stormy waters off the coast of Iceland every member of the crew perishes... except for one. What makes Gulli different and how did he manage to endure almost nine hours in the frozen sea? Based on astonishing true facts, this is the story of how one man’s innate survival instinct shocked an army of medical professionals and came to symbolise the strength and determination of a nation. Cineworld, 8.40pm; also Fri 21 Jun, Filmhouse, 6.10pm. Paris Countdown With the city streets of Paris stylishly deployed to maximum dramatic effect, explosive bursts of deftly-handled action, and a score straight out of clubland, it’s hard to believe that this slick, high- octane thriller is director Edgar Marie’s debut feature. In the central roles, Olivier Marchal and Jaques Gamblin are superb, their volatile, fractured relationship stretched to breaking point as one fateful night’s events spiral dangerously out of control. Filmhouse, 10.30pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Cineworld, 12.15pm.
Fri 21 Jun
The Battle of the Sexes Tennis star and women’s rights activist Billie Jean King won a total of 39 Grand Slam titles, but the biggest match of her career took place in 1973 against former men’s champion Bobby Riggs, a self-proclaimed male chauvinist pig who declared that, even at the age of 55, he could beat any woman in the world. A rousing and hugely enjoyable documentary with a great soundtrack. Dominion, 6.30pm; also Sun 23 Jun, Cineworld, 4pm. White Epilepsy Based on an installation piece, this new work by a brilliant film artist jettisons narrative to immerse the viewer in a strange world of pure movement and gesture. Two bodies, male and female, move with unnatural slowness in dim light, engaging in an inexplicable and
monstrous dance that is neither a battle nor love-making. An intensely hypnotic and beautiful work at the limit of cinema. Filmhouse, 7.50pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Filmhouse, 9.20pm. Stories We Tell Actor and director Sarah Polley’s first feature documentary is a beautifully- structured investigation into the history of her own family, in particular her mother, who died when Polley was eleven. Layering interviews with family members and friends with archive footage, Polley builds up an enthralling collage of fact, hearsay and memory as she strives to find out the truth about her mother, and, by extension, herself. Cineworld, 6.10pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Filmhouse, 3.45.pm.
Frances Ha In this deft comedy, Greta Gerwig gives a breakout performance as Frances, a 27-year-old dancer who, struggling to stay afloat after her roommate leaves their Brooklyn apartment, must try to find a place for herself, both literally and metaphorically. How long can Frances linger in the fun but awkward transition between a student lifestyle and adult responsibilities? A fast-paced homage to the French New Wave, a love poem to New York City, and a delightful personal portrait. Filmhouse, 8.30pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Dominion, 12.30pm. Svengali Idealistic Dixie (Jonny Owen) and his girlfriend Shell (Vicky McClure) leave their small Welsh hometown for London, where Dixie intends to let nothing stand between him and his dream of being the manager of a big-time rock band. The realities of the music business – and of London rents – would daunt many a lesser man, but not Dixie. Expanded from a YouTube cult series, this is a smart and winning comedy. Cineworld, 8.40pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Cineworld, 2.40pm.
Shooting Bigfoot An intrepid young filmmaker travels from Britain deep into the American heartland to probe the mysteries of Bigfoot and Bigfoot mania. He forms uneasy alliances with several Bigfoot trackers, including a man who believes he is part sheep, a known hoaxer, and an entrepreneur with a short fuse. Things get hairy as the filmmaker realises that his companions may not be the harmless eccentrics they seem. Filmhouse, 10.45pm; also Sat 22 Jun, Cineworld, 5.05pm.
Sat 22 Jun
A Story of Children and Film A rich and delightful examination of the way films have viewed children. Filmmaker Mark Cousins draws on 53 films from around the world and throughout history to demonstrate the affinity between film and childhood. His reflections are anchored in a real-life situation: his own niece and nephew at play. As the film demonstrates powerfully, no art form has looked more at kids than film. Filmhouse, 1pm; also Sat 29 Jun, Filmhouse, 6.15pm.
Beijing Flickers Having been left by his girlfriend, sacked from his factory job and finally abandoned by his dog – ironically named Lucky – San Bao (Duan Bowen) runs after him, but the ensuing chase almost lands him in jail. Rather than lament alone, he soon acquires a band of fellow misfits who together face life on the periphery of contemporary Beijing. Despite their seeming exclusion from a life of prosperity, director Zhang Yuan’s engaging characters are defiant, and decide that even a small impact, is better than none at all. Filmhouse, 6pm; also Thu 20 Jun, Filmhouse, 6.10pm. The Obscured Histories and Silent Longings of Daguluan’s Children A sensuous, observant and nuanced portrait of life in a remote fishing village in southern Philippines. Weaving staged scenes with documentary footage, the filmmaker captures the predicament of a people deeply rooted in traditional beliefs and practices, but forced by poverty to abandon their community to search for a precarious living, while constantly menaced by impending war. Filmhouse, 5.10pm; also Sun 30 Jun, Filmhouse. 8.50pm.
Comrade Kim Goes Flying This cheerful, bright confection tells the story of Yong Mi, a coal miner in her twenties whose childhood dreams of flying are revived by a visit to the circus. She trains to become a trapeze artist, and despite setbacks and embarrassments she maintains her optimism and her will to succeed. The first Western-financed feature film made entirely in North Korea fills the screen with charm and idealism. Cineworld, 7.40pm; also Thu 27 Jun, Cineworld, 8.35pm.
From Tehran to London Ava, a poet, is dissatisfied in her marriage with a well-to-do bourgeois man and finds solace in her friendship with their maid. When the maid disappears, Ava’s relationship with her husband reaches a crisis. The filming of Mania Akbari’s crisp and poetic exploration of women’s roles in her native Iran was interrupted when the arrest of several Iranian filmmakers prompted Akbari to leave for the UK, where she finished the film. Screening with Dancing Mania, a short film by Roya Akbari. Filmhouse, 8.15pm; also Sun 23 Jun, Filmhouse, 3pm.
The Bling Ring Sofia Coppola’s latest film is based on an incredible true story. A group of L.A. high-school friends track the activities of celebrities online so that they can rob their homes. Motivated less by greed than by a fascination with status brands and famous people, the gang target Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson, Lindsay Lohan, and others, bragging of their intimacy with their victims. A biting, stylish take on celebrity culture. Filmhouse, 8.30pm; also Sun 23 Jun, Cineworld, 6.40pm. Upstream Colour An office worker (Amy Seimetz) is kidnapped, drugged, subjected to a strange operation, and released. As her psyche unravels, she bonds with a
19 – 30 JUNE EDFILMFEST.ORG.UK