EIFF 2001: Day 14

Today was the penultimate day of the festival, and the last day of the "regular" programme. Pride of place went to festival favourites, the Coen Brothers, and their new film The Man Who Wasn't There. And, taking their cue from their film, Joel and Ethan weren't there (if they were, they were hiding themselves well). It's both a return to the film noir of their debut, Blood Simple, and also the beginning of a new stage in the career of the brothers, so watch out for its release in October.

The supporting acts were no less dazzling: the World Premiere of The Warrior, by talented new director Asif Kapadia, and the International Premiere of the emotional "Martha...Martha" (not to be confused with the romcom Martha... Meet Frank, Daniel, And Laurence) which helped to draw this years programme arc - from the birth of Amelie through to the final reel of Wit tomorrow - even closer to the end.

At the delegate's centre, the party was aptly entitled The Final Reel, as the music played out and everyone gradually unravelled. Tomorrow is devoted to the best of the fest, and the Closing night film Wit. There's also the closing party, again out at the Corn Exchange, which this year is (at the behest of the outgoing Artistic Director): pink and flowery.

More about that tomorrow - for now I've got to dig out my best pink rags.