FILM IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THE BEST OF THE FESTS From massive stars presenting Hollywood premieres to indie fl icks produced on the tightest of budgets, Scotland’s fi lm scene embraces them all. Looking for some festivals to while away the hours with nothing but popcorn and a big screen for company? Kirstyn Smith's got you covered
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the belief Edinburgh & Glasgow), a political fest exploring that cinematic experiences can inspire change (see our feature on page 12). A big hitter on the LGBTQIA+ scene the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (or, pleasingly, SQIFF), whose closing i lm Real Boy is pictured above. It takes place this year from 29 Sep–2 Oct (CCA, Glasgow) and features two major themes: a queer horror retrospective (think cult 80s fave Fright Night, zombie-on-zombie
Otto; or Up with Dead People, and a collection of horror shorts), and a web series showcase featuring innovative new media from queer i lmmakers across the world. There’s also POUTFest, (Aug) a touring festival of British and international LGBTQIA+ shorts. The monopoly isn’t held by Edinburgh and Glasgow; if you’re willing to travel, there’s a world of i lmic delights at your i ngertips. Inverness Film Festival (9–13 Nov, Inverness), is a small but
T he two big daddies of the Scottish i lm festival scene are, of course, Glasgow Film Festival (Feb) and Edinburgh International Film Festival (Jun). Glasgow draws in remarkable names from the movie industry and i nds new threads to explore each year – in 2016 the Sound and Vision strand delved into music on i lm, with a dedication to David Bowie and i lms from Aidan Moffat and Neil Young – while, in 2016, EIFF celebrated its 70th year and continues to pull out the stops to ensure each festival is one to remember.
Others to consider in the cities are Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival (4 & 5 Feb, George Square Lecture Theatre, Edinburgh), a celebration of the great outdoors via mountaineering, snowboarding, biking and climbing; Document Film Festival (20–23 Oct, CCA, Glasgow), a festival dedicated to raising the proi le of social issues not normally exposed in mainstream media, and Take One Action! Film Festival (14–25 Sep,
118 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016
powerful i ve days of premieres and international work; Screenplay (Aug, Mareel, Lerwick), is curated by critics Linda Ruth Williams and Mark Kermode, and features lectures, discussions and screenings with a focus on local i lmmakers; and the Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema (22–26 Mar, Hippodrome, Bo’ness) is Scotland’s only i lm festival dedicated to the silent screen.
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annual
frightfest If horror is your bag, there’s a year-round glut of terrifying events guaranteed to scare you shirtless, including Dundead the DCA’s that indulges Dundee’s bloodthirsty side through cult classics and sneak p previews of new and local i lms; D Dead by Dawn (Apr), Edinburgh F Filmhouse’s festival of gore which offers up new work, old classics and special guests; and All Night Horror Madness (3 Dec, Cameo, Edinburgh), a full night of back-to- back screenings of gruesome i lms that test the hardiest of horror fans. Glasgow Horror Festival (29 Oct, Blackfriar’s, Glasgow) also has its fair share of indie and pop i lm screenings with industry Q&As.