Edinburgh Film Festival: Ready for their closeup

Published on Friday 13 June 2008 16:00

The lowdown on the films and faces to look out for in Edinburgh this month

DUMMY

A poignant debut by Matthew Thompson, who won a BBC new filmmakers award for his short, Gone, in 2003, and cut his teeth working with director Tony Kaye (American History X). Two brothers cope with the death of their mother, one by partying too hard, the other by making a replacement 'mummy' out of a mannequin. Listen out for the minimalist soundtrack from Phil Hartnoll (Orbital) and Nick Smith.

Cineworld, June 25, 6pm; June 26, 7.30pm.edfilmfest.org.uk/films/dummy/trailer

DUANE HOPKINS - BETTER THINGS

It's been a long wait for Duane Hopkins' debut feature, but finally here it is. The talented writer-director, who has won awards the world over for his hard-hitting yet lyrical shorts, goes behind the picture-postcard scenes of the Cotswolds where he grew up to tell this story of young love, hate, addiction and violence. This is rural England as you've never seen it: hypnotic, precarious, disturbing and yet somehow still beautiful.

Cameo, June 22, 1.45pm; June 23, 7.45pm

OFF HOLLYWOOD

Bringing a touch of meta-filmmaking to the Festival, this Hungarian feature tells the tale of a young director's meltdown in the run-up to her third film's premiere. From the Hungarian director of the acclaimed White Palms (EIFF 2006), Variety has compared Szabolcs Hajdu's "fluid Steadicam work" to the pacy tracking shots in Run Lola Run.

Cineworld, June 26, 27, both 5.30pm

DANUTA SZAFLARSKA – TIME TO DIE

This stylish, gentle vehicle for 92-year-old Polish screen legend Danuta Szaflarska has been raved about on the festival circuit. Practically a monologue by Szaflarska, who has a 60-year history in Polish film (think of her as an older and Polish Judi Dench), it's beautifully shot in black and white and tells the story of Aniela as she passes her twilight days conversing with her dog, spying on the neighbours and looking back over a long, well-lived life.

Cineworld, Thursday, 8pm; Saturday, 5.15pm

TROUBLE SLEEPING

This world premiere from Edinburgh's Theatre Workshop follows Palestinians Halla and Ahmed as they remake their lives in the capital. Director Robert Rae worked collectively with refugees and asylum seekers, who starred in and helped to write this raw, moving film.

Filmhouse, Friday, 5.15pm

A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS

Wayne Wang returns to his indie roots and the portmanteau style of his Nineties classics, Smoke and Blue In The Face. This is a gorgeous, subtle study of an elderly Chinese widower and the daughter he hasn't seen for 12 years. A companion piece to Wang's Princess Of Nebraska, it took the honours for best film and best actor at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain.

Cineworld, June 26, 7.15pm; June 28, 2.45pm

JOE LAWLOR AND CHRISTINE MOLLOY – HELEN

Hailed by the Festival as the UK discovery of the year, the partnership (in work and life) of Lawlor and Molloy, won them Best British Short at EIFF in 2004 for their film Who Killed Brown Owl. Helen, about a loner who agrees to play a missing woman in a police reconstruction, is the culmination of a four-year project making high quality shorts with community groups in Ireland.

Cineworld, Thursday, 8.45pm; Cameo, June 27, 6pm

www.desperate optimists.com/helen

BILL PLYMPTON – IDIOTS AND ANGELS

The Academy Award-nominated US animator is considered to be the first to draw every frame of an animated feature film by himself. In Idiots And Angels, the effect of his animation is spectacular, part David Lynch, part Jacques Tati. Plympton has published illustrations in the New York Times, Vogue and Vanity Fair, and his last film, Hair High, featured the voices of David Carradine, Matt Groening and Martha Plimpton. This time he eschews the dialogue to tell a warped love story of a reluctan

Cameo, June 26, 8pm; 28, 7pm

www.idiotsandangels.com

VITO ROCCO – FAINTHEART

'May the Norse be with you' is the tagline, which sets the silly tone of this very British geek-fest. Developed by Myspacers, this story of battle re-enactments and slackers with penchants for Viking helmets is taken on by Vito Rocco, who won the online competition – and 1m – to direct it. His short Goodbye, Cruel World caused a major fuss at the Berlin Film Festival in 2003 so expect great things.

Cineworld, June 28, 9.30pm, 9.45pm

www.myspace.com/faintheartthemovie

BANANAZ

Director Ceri Levy is a friend of Damon Albarn's and this intimate film about everyone's favourite virtual band, Gorillaz, pulls down the cartoon wall to study the relationship between Albarn and comic book artist Jamie Hewlett. Also featuring Dennis Hopper, De la Soul and Ibrahim Ferrer, plus a host of 2D characters. Levy trailed Gorillaz for six years to create this warm portrait.

Cineworld, Friday, 9.30pm; June 23, 5.15pm

http://blueskeltonproductions.blogspot.com/2008/01/bananaz-movie.html