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| The Eve Of Ivan Kupalo |
Scotland’s annual Folk Film Gathering will return to Edinburgh from 12 July with a bumper programme which includes a special focus on films from Ukraine. The festival, now entering its eighth year, aims to explore the relationships between cinema and other traditional arts such as oral storytelling and folk song.
The Ukrainian strand includes award-winning drama Pamfir, social-realist comedy Amulet and feminist folk tale Voice Of Grass. The films will be introduced by live performances by Ukrainian folk musicians.
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| Granton Voices |
Other festival highlights include documentaries from the Outer Hebrides which explore belief in second sight, a group of films about life in Orkney and a celebration of Durham women who kept their community afloat during the miners' strikes in the Eighties. There is also a special focus on five years of short film production at Granton Primary School, which explore issues around immigration, racism and homophobia as well as the day to day concerns of school life.
"Folk film is film that focuses upon community, place and people, and this year's packed programme sets into motion a dialogue of solidarity between Ukraine and Scotland, which draws connections across the rich cinematic heritage of both countries," said festival co-producers Jamie Chambers and Lydia Beilby. "Rarely screened films and notable Ukrainian titles, including Alexander Dovzhenko's seminal Arsenal with a new soundtrack performed live by Scottish electronic duo Dalhous, will sit side-by-side over 15 days of programming."
The event will run from 12 to 21 June.
