Film festival considers return to August

Edinburgh International Film Festival organisers are considering switching the event back to August and reinstating its prestigious awards.

The moves come as the EIFF begins the search for a new artistic director after parting company with this year's producer/director James Mulligan.

This year's festival, which closed last week, saw a much-reduced programme - 62 premieres against 106 last year - with no red-carpet screenings and it dropped the Michael Powell Award for best new British feature film. It also failed to stage a British premiere of Scottish film We Need To Talk About Kevin, starring festival patron Tilda Swinton, who did not attend this year's event.

The festival's move to June in 2008 was justified at the time on the grounds it would get more attention than in the frenzied month of August, but many critics believe it has reduced its appeal.