EIFF announces full programme

The Dead Don't Die Photo: Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival

Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle will be among the stars attending this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival, it was announced today, taking part in an in person event and bringing his latest film Yesterday to the festival.

The film, which will screen alongside Joanna Hogg's lauded festival hit The Souvenir and a host of new directors in the Best of British strand at the festival, is a musical comedy, scripted by Richard Curtis, about a singer-songwriter who has an accident during a mysterious global blackout and wakes to a world where The Beatles never existed. Among the film's getting a world premiere in this section are Bittersweet Symphony, which stars Suki Waterhouse as a woman whose Hollywood dreams are about to become a reality, Emily Harris' supermatural love story Carmilla and Rowan Athale's noir thrillerStrange But True, that boasts a cast including Blythe Danner, Brian Cox and Greg Kinnear.

Mark Adams at the launch Photo: Richard Mowe

Other eye-catching films in the line-up include Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, fresh from Cannes, and Them That Follow, which stars Oscar-winner Olivia Colman as a matriarch of a snake-handling church community that is rocked by the secret of a pastor's daughter.

The festival - which runs from June 19 to 30 - will screen 121 features, including 18 feature film world premieres, 12 international premieres, eight European premieres and 78 UK premieres from 42 countries, with 42.8 per cent of all the features and shorts directed by women.

Mark Adams, EIFF Artistic Director, said: “It is always important that EIFF reflects the changing face of all aspects of society and culture. With attitudes changing throughout the world it is important that this year the festival has a real European spin and presents a series of wonderful films from around Europe with a particular emphasis on Spain this year.

“We are also delighted to be able to present a series of striking new films from women directors and filmmaking teams from around the world. In particular this year we have an amazing selection of genre films from women filmmakers, ranging from Gothic romance and Western chills through to science fiction and old-fashioned horror. All this set alongside a tribute to French filmmaker Agnes Varda, a women who has inspired generations of directors.”

He added: "Like all film festivals we want to keep in increasing our percentage of women filmmakers. In truth we can only reflect what is available to us, but it has been great this year to include so many rich and varied films from top women filmmakers, and the fact that we have 42.8 per cent of our features and short films from women is a good sign of how the production world is dealing with things."

British documentarian Nick Broomfield will also bring his latest film Marianne & Leonard: Words Of Love to the festival and take part in an in person interview, while highlights of the European Perspectives section include Stacie Passon's Shirley Jackson adaptation We Have Always Lived In The Castle, and Roman Bondarchuk's surreal comedy Volcano.

In the Documentaries strand, there's also a chance to see Tribeca winner Scheme Birds, about the life of a young woman in Motherwell, Alexandre O Phillippe's fascinating consideration of Ridley Scott's film, Memory: The Origin Of Alien and humanistic study of poverty in Beirut, Underdown.

The Souvenir Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop, said: “The Edinburgh International Film Festival plays a vital role in Scotland's screen success story, promoting domestic productions, developing talent and encouraging people to go to the cinema. This cutting-edge programme, supported by the Scottish Government, is a diverse mix of established and emerging talent which will proudly showcase our thriving industry to both local and international audiences."

The festival will host a Cinecuisine strand for the first time this year, which aims to celebrate Scottish produce and connections. It features documentaries including The Amber Light and an event panel Food For Thought incorporating a tasting panel.

This year EIFF will also join forces with Matchbox Cineclub to present CAGE-A-RAMA 3D, a wild-hearted Nicolas Cage extravaganza featuring cult Cage classics Drive Angry and Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance In 3D.

Alongside the festival's previously announced Spanish cinema focus, it will screen a number of films by French filmmaker Agnès Varda, who died earlier this year, including her final film Varda By Agnès, which will be introduced by Honorary Patron Mark Cousins.

Additional events include a screening of Robert Altman's Gosford Park at Lauriston Castle, and a silent cinema screening of Dziga Vertov Man With A Movie Camera.

Shorts, animation and experimental film strand Black Box all return, as does the festival's Youth Strand, many details of which have already been announced.

We'll be bringing you news and reviews in the run-up and during the festival, which opens with Boyz In The Wood and closes with Mrs Lowery & Son, and you can read our coverage so far, here.

Tickets are on sale now for EIFF Friends and Filmhouse Members and will on sale to the public on Friday May 31 at 10am.