EIFF to start with Puzzle

Kelly Macdonald as Agnes and Irrfan Khan as Robert in Puzzle, which will open EIFF Photo: Courtesy of EIFF

Marc Turtletaub’s Puzzle has been announced as the opening gala of this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival on June 20. The drama stars Scots actress Kelly Macdonald as under-appreciated housewife and mum Agnes whose newly discovered talent for completing jigsaw puzzles begins to quietly change other aspects of her life.

Kelly Macdonald is expected to attend the gala Photo: Courtesy of EIFF

Irrfan Khan stars alongside Macdonald as a charismatic fellow puzzle solver who also holds out a possibility of a different tack, if she wants it. Macdonald puts in a tour de force performance in the central role, exploring the ways that Agnes is even an enigma to herself.

Macdonald and Turtletaub are both expected to attend the festival.

Artistic director of EIFF Mark Adams said: “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the undeniable talent of Kelly Macdonald in this wonderfully enjoyable and uplifting film. It is a subtle and impressive new film that succeeds on all levels.”

Turtletaub added: "It's a great honour to be invited to have Puzzle open Edinburgh International Film Festival 2018. This world class festival has been a personal favourite for a long time - and being able to showcase Kelly’s performance here makes it even more rewarding.”

The full programme of the EIFF – which runs from June 20 to July 1 - will be announced on May 23. Tickets for Puzzle are on sale now from the EIFF website. Puzzle will be released across the UK by Sony Pictures this summer.

Read our interview with composer Dustin O’Halloran about scoring the Puzzle