It’s good to see the Edinburgh International Film Festival jettison its strained efforts to “keep up with the Cannes-es”.
Reduced funding this year has clipped the Film Festival’s wings in terms of the amount of high profile stars appearing for red carpet premieres. But the clipped wings have resulted in innovative programming around the enduring quality main film programme (50% of the brochure).
New media art (New Media Scotland), photography and visual art agencies (Stills) formally join the programme and stretch its span, hosting events that celebrate the impact and relationship of film to may other art forms, and the impact of other art forms on film. The events are held in other places and spaces Edinburgh – a strand called “Outside The Box”. The relationship between film and music is explicitly acknowledged, with a thread of programming around sound tracks.
The Film Festival is also highly accessible to those learning about film, starting out in film, as well as already established film professionals. The filmmakers have been recruited to become the teachers of a pop-up film school, as well as the panelists in the Industry Programme – a series of debates that address the current and future risks and opportunities for the industry.
The impact of the web on film has created many new forms of making, distribution and consumption. Rather than being scared of the threat to the traditional art form, the hybrid forms are celebrated. The Industry programme properly addresses the changing nature of the making and distributing of film, and will analyse, debate, critique and reflect on what these changes might mean for the future of cinema and its audiences. I’m excited to be moderating the session on crowd funding with a panel including 2 seasoned filmmakers who have successfully crowd sourced funds for film production. (24.06.11, 1530).