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| Mendes movie opens film festival | Mendes movie opens film festival |
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| The 63rd Edinburgh International Film Festival has opened with the world premiere of Away We Go, the new movie by Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes. | |
| The 43-year-old director said he chose to take his movie to the Scottish festival for a good reason. | The 43-year-old director said he chose to take his movie to the Scottish festival for a good reason. |
| "I particularly didn't want to take this film to Cannes; I think the scale of that festival is overpowering." | "I particularly didn't want to take this film to Cannes; I think the scale of that festival is overpowering." |
| The filmmaker, who is married to Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, said he was "happy" to be in Edinburgh. | |
| He added: "I think that's an issue with a lot of festivals now. There are so many movies and there's so much going on it can swamp and dwarf smaller films. | He added: "I think that's an issue with a lot of festivals now. There are so many movies and there's so much going on it can swamp and dwarf smaller films. |
| "So when they suggested it go to Edinburgh I said 'Yes' right away. It's a fantastic place to be." | "So when they suggested it go to Edinburgh I said 'Yes' right away. It's a fantastic place to be." |
| He added: "I am delighted it gets to be here rather that at some giant red-carpet event where the whole thing is dwarfed by the publicity machine." | He added: "I am delighted it gets to be here rather that at some giant red-carpet event where the whole thing is dwarfed by the publicity machine." |
| Away We Go, with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, will open the festival In pictures: Edinburgh Films | Away We Go, with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, will open the festival In pictures: Edinburgh Films |
| The 11-day festival will show 135 films, including 23 world premieres. | The 11-day festival will show 135 films, including 23 world premieres. |
| The festival's artistic director Hannah McGill told the BBC Scotland news website: "Edinburgh has an intimacy that is very special: geographically it's really manageable, and we try very hard to break down barriers between the audiences and the filmmakers. | The festival's artistic director Hannah McGill told the BBC Scotland news website: "Edinburgh has an intimacy that is very special: geographically it's really manageable, and we try very hard to break down barriers between the audiences and the filmmakers. |
| "Of course there's a glamour element and respect for the visiting talent, but we want the audience to really feel part of it. | "Of course there's a glamour element and respect for the visiting talent, but we want the audience to really feel part of it. |
| "Also we have the advantage of being in one of the most beautiful cities in the world - Edinburgh is really a very special and particularly cinematic setting." | "Also we have the advantage of being in one of the most beautiful cities in the world - Edinburgh is really a very special and particularly cinematic setting." |
| Highlights include the world premiere of Le Donk, the new Shane Meadows movie, which features the Arctic Monkeys, and the European premiere of Steven Soderberg's The Girlfriend Experience. | Highlights include the world premiere of Le Donk, the new Shane Meadows movie, which features the Arctic Monkeys, and the European premiere of Steven Soderberg's The Girlfriend Experience. |
| Director of The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky, will be hosting an In Person session during the festival, as will legendary B-movie maker Roger Corman and elusive Scottish filmmaker Bill Forsyth. | Director of The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky, will be hosting an In Person session during the festival, as will legendary B-movie maker Roger Corman and elusive Scottish filmmaker Bill Forsyth. |
| BBC Radio Five Live's Simon Mayo and film critic Mark Kermode will present their own brand of Wittertainment during a live audience event on Friday. | BBC Radio Five Live's Simon Mayo and film critic Mark Kermode will present their own brand of Wittertainment during a live audience event on Friday. |
| Ms McGill said it was difficult to choose the highlights from such a packed programme, however, she admitted The Crimson Wing, a portrait of the life cycles of flamingos in Tanzania, was a personal favourite. | Ms McGill said it was difficult to choose the highlights from such a packed programme, however, she admitted The Crimson Wing, a portrait of the life cycles of flamingos in Tanzania, was a personal favourite. |
| Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo will bring Wittertainment to Edinburgh | Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo will bring Wittertainment to Edinburgh |
| She added: "I'm thrilled to be bringing two of my favourite actors, Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal, to Edinburgh for the UK premiere of Carlos Cuaron's Rudo & Cursi. | She added: "I'm thrilled to be bringing two of my favourite actors, Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal, to Edinburgh for the UK premiere of Carlos Cuaron's Rudo & Cursi. |
| "I'm yet more thrilled that the great Joe Dante, director of Gremlins and Innerspace and Matinee, and now 3D pioneer, is going to be on hand - that's my 80s childhood coming out. | "I'm yet more thrilled that the great Joe Dante, director of Gremlins and Innerspace and Matinee, and now 3D pioneer, is going to be on hand - that's my 80s childhood coming out. |
| "Then there's Sharmila Tagore, one of the legends of both arms of Indian cinema: Bengali art film and commercial Bollywood cinema. | "Then there's Sharmila Tagore, one of the legends of both arms of Indian cinema: Bengali art film and commercial Bollywood cinema. |
| "She was the glamour girl of Indian cinema in the 60s." | "She was the glamour girl of Indian cinema in the 60s." |
| "And I'm overwhelmed that Mary Sweeney, the genius who edited the vast bulk of David Lynch's films, has given us the world premiere of her directorial debut, Baraboo." | "And I'm overwhelmed that Mary Sweeney, the genius who edited the vast bulk of David Lynch's films, has given us the world premiere of her directorial debut, Baraboo." |
| Controversial film Antichrist, by Danish director Lars von Trier, has been added to the festival programme at the last minute. | Controversial film Antichrist, by Danish director Lars von Trier, has been added to the festival programme at the last minute. |
| The dark thriller featuring graphic scenes of sex and mutilation received a mixed reaction at the Cannes festival. | The dark thriller featuring graphic scenes of sex and mutilation received a mixed reaction at the Cannes festival. |