The Outrun is set to open the 77th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
It will be the premiere of Nora Fingscheidt’s Orkney-set drama, which 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 is also a co-producer on the film and will join Fingscheidt (System Crasher) in attendance at this year’s EIFF, alongside writer Amy Liptrot and the film’s producers Sarah Brocklehurst and Dominic Norris. It had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
The relaunched EIFF has also revealed the name of its short film competition – The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence. Thelma Schoonmaker is celebrated for her 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.
Schoonmaker will be attending at this year’s festival.
“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,” explained EIFF Director, Paul Ridd.
“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.”
The festival runs from August 15 to August 21 taking place at venues including Summerhall and the historic Cameo cinema. It’s headed up by Festival Director Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa.
“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,” added Isabel Davis, Executive Director of Screen Scotland.
“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.”
In addition 10 world-premiere feature films will compete for the The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence.
