Artistic Director Chris Fujiwara has put together a strong programme focused on showcasing the best in world cinema, and with over 50 countries represented, festival goers will be treated to a diverse range of films from across the globe.

Selected Highlights

Celebrated Japanese director Shinji Sōmai receives a full retrospective of his work, with all 13 of his films screening across the Festival (22 June – 1 July) and Gregory La Cava, one of the great innovators of American film comedy, also receives a retrospective covering some of his most celebrated films and a few of his lesser known triumphs (27 June – 1 July).

(Still from Shinji Sōmai's PP Rider)

The Philippines and Denmark each have their own dedicated programme strand this year, with Philippine New Wave highlighting the creativity of the country’s young independent film makers and Focus on Denmark bringing the country’s strength in documentary making to the fore. Looking South also features an array of filmmaking talent from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

Returning for 2012 the Michael Powell Award Competition will crown one of 10 competitors this year’s Best British Feature Film. Those in the running for the coveted award include: Day of the Flowers (25 & 26 June) a humourous tale of two Scottish sisters who take their father’s ashes to Cuba; and Future My Love (21 & 29 June) a documentary by the Swedish director Maja Borg on the futurist Jacque Fresco.

On the 27 June participants in the Scottish Documentary Institute’s new talent training programme, Bridging the Gap, will showcase some of their work. Covering topics as diverse as: the mystery of a dead wallaby found on Islay in 2004; the battle to become Glasgow’s next Doo Fleein’ champion; and the story of how Filipino fisherman plugged a labour gap in the Scottish fishing industry; this is the perfect opportunity to see some of Scotland’s hottest new filmmaking talent.

(Still from Dr Suess' The Lorax)

Fans of 3D animation can experience the UK Premiere of Dr Suess’ The Lorax  (23 & 24 June) and rounding the festival off on the 30 June will be the much anticipated European Premiere of Disney’s latest animated feature: Brave. Set in the Scottish Highlands and starring the voices of Billy Connolly, Kelly Macdonald and Emma Thompson, Brave will be on general release in Scotland from the 3 August.

Pathways

With so many films on offer, choosing what to go and see can often being an overwhelming experience, so this year the organisers have created Pathways - groups of films from across the festival programme that are linked by a common theme or that may appeal to particular tastes. Some of the Pathways include: Teenage Kicks (films for 15 year-olds and upwards); Pushing Boundaries (films for the more daring and experimental film fan); and Human Journeys (films about people’s movements across national borders).

A full festival programme together with details of how to by tickets can be found on the EIFF website.

(Main Image: Still from Polaris by Chico Pereira)

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