I’m very attentive in bed. And very supportive. My partner hogs at least half the bed.
My bed partner is a giant clipboard. Surrounded by supporting notes and inspirations from the day. Post-it notes, reference books with little markers in them, press releases. I have to stay on my side of the bed lest my knee relegates Julie Delpy, Zoe Bell and Angelina Jolie to the floor.
At least I haven’t been nagged yet. I steal an extra 10 minutes as the alarm goes off. I haven’t really slept – demanding bed partner. I pull a suit and tie on. I’ve noticed people always credit you with being more awake and responsible if you look the part. Somehow I’m in the Filmhouse Bar, wanting breakfast. The press screening starts in three minutes and my bacon sandwich hasn’t arrived. I give the barman a sad expression. He gives me his bacon sandwich.
I struggle hard to find some merit in the film. It’s there, just that the overall movie isn’t up to scratch. Then it's cross the road to the videoteque. This is a gigantic underground warren in the basement of the Point Hotel, where members of the press plug themselves into to recharge on movies they’ve missed. I’m watching Breath, a Korean movie. It starts quietly enough then whacks you sideways like Dancer In The Dark.
Outside the Filmhouse, the Michael Powell EIFF Jury are taking a photo bow. Let’s recap. Not much razzmatazz about it, but EIFF does present some awards. We don’t have a Golden Haggis or any equivalent to other festivals’ great artistic merit prize, but we have a bigger number than last year.
The new addition is Best Actor in a British feature. Which means same films as the Best British Film award. Personally I’d be quite happy to see Samantha Morton or Sam Riley (from Control) scoop it. Great performances.
The Audience Award is a popularity poll by people seeing the biggies. Death Proof might be technically way ahead, but it upsets a lot of people. Control is brilliant but depressing. Audiences have been quick to recognise Hallam Foe for the twaddle I believe it is. Ratatouille is a nice crowd-pleaser. (Though hats off to people holding up Seachd).
There’s a ‘best (new) director’ award as well, but only first and second time filmmakers are eligible. Anything other than recognising the director of Control may well raise eyebrows (and justifiably so).
Then there’s awards for documentaries and shorts. Nothing for masterpieces from established directors gracing our screens – unless they happen to be British. This means some great artistic masterpieces (from Black Box and Director’s Showcase sections) have to go unrecognised. We definitely need a Golden Haggis. Posher name of course. Suggestions on the back of a postcard to the Wizard of Oz. And sponsorship, please.
Later I meet up with Catherine Martin, a French-Canadian movie-maker whose In The Cities I admired. We chat about Tartovsky and Bergman and Virginia Woolf and the power of cinema to evoke ideas and feelings beyond images or words. Eventually a sound crew insist they’ve booked the room and could we move.
A text from the Eye For Film webmaster. Would I like a spare ticket for tonight’s Death Proof? I am shocked that he needs to ask. I down a beer. This will be the third time I’ve seen it – it just keeps getting better! Zoe Bell does a Q&A. I ask her how Tarantino directs her to look excited. She says he tells her just to think pizza. Nice straightforward gal, that one.
Time to book tickets for next Sunday. The Best of the Fest line-up is:
Blind Mountain (Mang shan) Filmhouse 3 10:00
What Would Jesus Buy? Filmhouse 2 10:15
Once Cameo 1 10:30
Lynch Filmhouse 1 10:30
The Monastery: Mr Vig and the Nun Cineworld 3 12:00
Protagonist Cineworld 6 12:15
Skills Like This Filmhouse 2 12:15
Weirdsville Cameo 1 12:30
Ratatouille Cineworld 10 12:30
We Are Together (Thina Simunye) Filmhouse 1 12:30
Control Cineworld 3 14:00
Beauty In Trouble (Kráska v Nesnázich) Cineworld 6 14:15
In Search of a Midnight Kiss Filmhouse 2 14:15
Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance Cineworld 10 14:45
And When Did You Last See Your Father? Filmhouse 1 14:45
Tekkonkinkreet Cameo 1 15:00
Stardust Cineworld 3 16:30
The Waiting Room Cineworld 6 16:45
Day Watch (Dnevnoy Dozor) Filmhouse 1 16:45
I Served the King of England Cineworld 10 17:00
The Counterfeiters (Die Fälscher) Cameo 1 17:30
The Hottest State Cineworld 6 19:00
Death Proof Cineworld 3 19:30
Hallam Foe Cineworld 10 19:45
Auftauchen Filmhouse 3 22:00
In the Shadow of the Moon Cineworld 10 21:45
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK Cineworld 3 22:00
All tickets are a fiver, or 4 for £15.
Photocalls this Tuesday:
Extraordinary Rendition (10am, in front of filmhouse) With: Jim Threapleton (Dir), Omar Bedouni, Ania Sowinski & Andy Noble (Producer)
Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman (10am, Filmhouse) With: Jennifer Fox (Dir)
Things to look out for this Tuesday: 4pm Cineworld - Mike Leigh in person 5pm Filmhouse 1 - Henry V - a rare chance to see the Laurence Olivier classic 6.45 Cineworld - Stardust - big one for all the family (on general release 19 October) 8.45 Cineworld - Paranoid Park (which did quite nicely at Cannes)
