Gene Kelly opened th 1956 Edinburgh Film Festival with a showing of his film 'Invitation to the Dance' attended by the Queen.Gene Kelly opened th 1956 Edinburgh Film Festival with a showing of his film 'Invitation to the Dance' attended by the Queen.
Gene Kelly opened th 1956 Edinburgh Film Festival with a showing of his film 'Invitation to the Dance' attended by the Queen.

Edinburgh International Film Festival: Here are 20 fascinating pictures of the stars attending premieres in the Capital over half a century ago

We take a look back at the event that has attracted famous faces to the Capital since 1947.

Current stars to have walked the red carpet have included Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Lawrence, Sigourney Weaver, Greta Gerwig, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Clint Eastwood, Kylie Minogue, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton.

Despite not being quite as high profile as the likes of Cannes, Venice or Sundance, Edinburgh can boast to be the world's oldest continually running film festival.

In that time it has hosted the UK premieres of many box office blockbuster and critical hits including Blade Runner, Alien, Back to the Future, Taxi Driver, Annie Hall, The Usual Suspects, Amelie, and The Hurt Locker.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s it was a glamorous affair that attracted many of the great filmmakers of the era.

With the closing of its home at Edinburgh’s Filmhouse cinema, the festival’s future was at threat, but it is returning for a truncated edition this year under the auspices of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Here are 20 pictures to take you back to those happier days.

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