The Outrun to open the 77th edition of Edinburgh International Film Festival, and short film competition title announced
Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun. Courtesy of STUDIOCANAL.
Edinburgh International Film Festival will open with the UK premiere of Nora Fingscheidt's Orkney-set drama The Outrun starring Saoirse Ronan
The Festival also announces its shorts competition will be titled The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence with the legendary film editor in attendance
The relaunched Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has today announced that this year’s 77th edition of the Festival will open with Nora Fingscheidt's adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s best-selling memoir, The Outrun.
The Outrun stars Saoirse Ronan (Ladybird, Brooklyn) as a young woman who finds herself washed up back home on the Scottish islands of Orkney as she battles to rebuild her life after a decade of addiction. Ronan, who also co-produced the film, will join filmmaker Nora Fingscheidt (System Crasher) in attendance at this year’s EIFF, alongside writer Amy Liptrot and the film’s producers Sarah Brocklehurst and Dominic Norris. The film had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and will be released by STUDIOCANAL in the UK and Ireland on September 27, 2024.
The Outrun was developed and produced by Sarah Brocklehurst of Brock Media, Dominic Norris of Arcade Pictures, Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden, with the support of BBC Film and Screen Scotland.
Executive Producers on The Outrun are Protagonist Pictures, BBC Film, Screen Scotland and MBK Productions.
Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu in The Outrun. Courtesy of STUDIOCANAL.
EIFF has also revealed the name of its short film competition as The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence. Thelma Schoonmaker is celebrated for her iconic work as an editor on landmark moments in cinema history and for her legendary collaborations with Martin Scorsese, including Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street and Killers of the Flower Moon. Thelma will be in attendance at this year’s festival. The award comes with a cash prize of £15,000.
The short film competition runs alongside four additional shorts programmes, 10 world-premiere feature films competing for The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence and programming strands including Out of Competition - which includes international premieres, UK premieres and additional world premieres, a Midnight Madness strand showcasing the best in genre cinema from around the world and a retrospective strand honouring film history. Industry activity will run across the first weekend of the Festival with announcements around guests and activities to follow in the next weeks. Industry delegates will experience the wealth of the film programme and also access all that is on show in the wider festivals month via new collaborations with partners including Screen Fringe.
EIFF honours 70+ years of film festival history, showcasing the very best talent in filmmaking in a format rooted in a local Scottish context whilst embracing the international diversity of creative expression. The Film Festival encourages general audiences, film fans and industry professionals to make the trip this summer to Edinburgh, which is universally recognised as a place of beauty, history, discovery and adventure.
The full EIFF programme will be launched on Thursday 4 July when tickets will also go on sale.
Exemplifying EIFF’s vision to spark conversations across Edinburgh’s August Festivals ecosystem, festival-goers can also experience the first ever stage adapatation of The Outrun at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, co-produced by Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Edinburgh International Festival.
Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun. Courtesy of STUDIOCANAL.
The Outrun is a truly special film. Powered by an electric and fearless central performance by Saoirse Ronan, this is lyrical, momentous cinema of real rigour and intelligence, and exactly the kind of bold work we want to champion with our relaunched festival. I have been a fan of Nora Fingscheidt’s uncompromising, emotional filmmaking ever since her debut System Crasher and I can think of no more fitting combination of announcements than this wonderful film as our opening with the confirmation of the legendary Thelma Schoonmaker’s gracious support for our Shorts Prize. We are honoured to be working with such phenomenal women of cinema.
EIFF Director, Paul Ridd
It’s great to see Paul set out his ambition for the relaunched EIFF with such a significant title for Scotland. Orkney’s primal beauty and unique natural landscape is at the heart of things, not only as the setting but as the source of redemption, courage and healing.
Nora’s exceptional talent, combined with Amy Liptrot’s raw, imaginative writing and Saoirse Ronan’s breathtaking performance make for a compelling and emotional ride. And it seems fitting, for a festival that intends to work with its creative partners across the Fringe, Book, TV and International Festivals that this hugely successful creative collaboration should take centre stage.
Isabel Davis, Executive Director of Screen Scotland
From August 15 to August 21 2024, the 77th edition of EIFF will take place at unique venues in Edinburgh, including Summerhall and the historic Cameo cinema, allowing audiences to seamlessly experience the best of the Fringe along with the world-class programme of cinema at EIFF. Submissions to EIFF have now closed.
Helmed by Festival Director Paul Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa, the team aims to create a world-class showcase for independent film and filmmaking talent. Former Acquisitions Executive Ridd is supported by an expanding Board, including Chair Andrew Macdonald of DNA Films, producer of the iconic Edinburgh-based film Trainspotting; Peter Rice, former Chairman of General Entertainment at Disney and President of 21st Century Fox; and Amy Jackson, producer of last year’s BAFTA award-winning indie, Aftersun. EIFF 2024 is supported by Screen Scotland.
The Outrun images courtesy of STUDIOCANAL available here.
CONTACT DETAILS
Email: chris.boyd@premiercomms.com
Social handles: Facebook, Instagram, Letterboxd, LinkedIn, TikTok, X (@edfilmfest)
EIFF
Founded in 1947 when it was known as the International Festival of Documentary Films, Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world’s oldest continually running film festival. Following the 2023 edition, a new organisation was established under chairman Andrew Macdonald to lead a revitalised EIFF from 2024 onwards. Paul Ridd was appointed incoming Festival Director in December 2023.
Screen Scotland
Screen Scotland drives development of all aspects of Scotland’s film and TV industry, through funding and strategic support. Screen Scotland is part of Creative Scotland and delivers these services and support with funding from Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Find out more at screen.scot and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Screen Fringe
Screen Fringe is a concierge service exclusively available to TV and Film professionals visiting Edinburgh’s August festivals. With so much happening in such a short space of time, getting a head start on making the most of your visit is invaluable. If your priority is seeing the best new talent and ideas the festivals offer, our priority is to make that experience frictionless. Find out more:
https://www.screen.scot/funding-and-support/support/screen-fringe
STUDIOCANAL (a CANAL+ Company)
STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and series, operating in all nine major European markets - France, United Kingdom & Ireland, Germany, Poland, Spain, and Benelux - as well as in Australia, in New Zealand and in the United States. It finances, produces, and distributes 80 films per year. It owns the largest catalogue in Europe and one of the most prestigious in the world, boasting around 9 000 titles from 60 countries, spanning 100 years of film history. Close to 25 million euros has been invested into the 4K restoration of nearly 1 000 classic feature films over the past 5 years. In addition, STUDIOCANAL also produces almost 20 series each year and operates at an international level by globally distributing its scripted productions and CANAL+ Originals (2,000 hours of current and library content in distribution). All productions take place directly through STUDIOCANAL entities or with its award-winning network of 14 production companies in Europe and in the United States: BAMBU PRODUCCIONES (SP), BIRDIE PICTURES (UK), DINGIE (NETH), LAILAPS FILMS (GER), OPUS TV (POL), RED PRODUCTION COMPANY (UK), SAM PRODUCTIONS (DEN), STRONG FILM & TELEVISION (UK), STUDIOCANAL ORIGINAL (FR), STUDIOCANAL SERIES (GER), SUNNY MARCH TV (UK), THE PICTURE COMPANY (US), URBAN MYTH FILMS (UK), 2E BUREAU (FR). https://www.canalplusgroup.com/en/group/studiocanal-1
BBC FILM
Firmly established at the forefront of UK film, BBC Film has an ambitious slate featuring many of the most exciting filmmakers working today. Upcoming BBC Film titles include: Andrea Arnold’s BIRD starring Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski; ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL, the second feature from Zambian-Welsh filmmaker Rungano Nyoni (I Am Not A Witch); SANTOSH, the debut feature from Screen International Star of Tomorrow Sandhya Suri (I For India, The Field); Ariane Labed’s feature directorial debut SEPTEMBER SAYS based on the novel ‘Sisters’ by Daisy Johnson; HOARD from Luna Carmoon, starring Saura Lightfoot Leon, Joseph Quinn, Hayley Squires and Deba Hekmat which took three prizes at Venice Critics’ Week; Sundance 2024 hit THE OUTRUN directed by Nora Fingscheidt, based on Amy Liptrot’s best-selling memoir and starring Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu; Martin Scorsese narrated documentary MADE IN ENGLAND: THE FILMS OF POWELL AND PRESSBURGER directed by David Hinton (Berlin Film Festival 2024); BAFTA-nominated director Lucy Cohen’s magical coming-of-age tale EDGE OF SUMMER (Glasgow Film Festival 2024); TUESDAY from Daina O. Pusić, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lola Petticrew and Arinzé Kene; Annie Baker’s JANET PLANET starring Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, and Sophie Okonedo; Daniel Kokotajlo’s second film, STARVE ACRE starring Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark; and, Naqqash Khalid’s IN CAMERA, starring Nabhaan Rizwan, Amir El-Masry, and Rory Fleck Byrne.
bbc.co.uk/bbcfilm
@BBCFilm
