Robbie Coltrane and Kelly MacDonald among stars to attend Edinburgh premiere of Brave

ROBBIE Coltrane, Kelly MacDonald and Kevin McKidd will be attending the European premiere of Disney-Pixar film Brave, Edinburgh film festival organisers have confirmed.

• Robbie Coltrane, Kelly MacDonald and Kevin McKidd among attendees for Brave’s European premiere on Saturday

• Other attendees include Ewen Bremner, Kate Dickie, Daniela Nardini and Brian Cox

• First Minister Alex Salmond also expected to attend

Other stars expected at the Festival Theatre on Saturday include Ewen Bremner, Kate Dickie, Daniela Nardini and Brian Cox.

A full house of 1900 is expected at two separate screenings, with huge crowds expected to greet the stars for the red carpet arrivals, from 3-4pm onwards.

Lanarkshire-born composer Patrick Doyle and Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, both of whom worked on the film, will also be at Saturday’s premiere.

Although the film has been shown around the world over recent weeks - including a world premiere in Los Angeles, and other screenings in the likes of Seattle, Sydney and Sicily - the Edinburgh film festival is still claiming its event as the official European premiere.

The animated fantasy, set in the ancient Highlands of Scotland, has already had the fifth biggest opening for a Pixar film after it generated more than $66 million at the US box office during its opening weekend.

Tourism leaders believe the film, which is not actually released in the UK until early August, will trigger a boom for the nation’s economy, with predictions of a £140 million spin-off.

It has already topped the US box office charts after its opening weekend.

VisitScotland’s chairman Mike Cantlay said: “The film captures every detail of Scotland’s landscapes - from the purple of the heather to the sweeping mountains and lochs.

“The moss, lichen, castles, seascapes and voices are authentically Scottish and create a starring role for the country. The film is about changing your fate and I predict that this will change the fate of Scottish tourism.”

Also expected to attend on Saturday is First Minister Alex Salmond, who sparked criticism from fashion watchers with his choice of tartan trews for the world premiere of Brave in LA.

He said: “This film is a unique opportunity to showcase Scotland to potential visitors in over 70 countries across the globe.

“Brave is a remarkable film that captures the beauty and personality of Scotland and we must now convert cinema goers into visitors by ensuring that the tourism message goes out to a whole new audience.”