Edinburgh Film Festival kicks off its 70th Edition in UK

CAIRO- 21 June 2017: The 70th Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) began on Wednesday, according to the festival’s website.

The EIFF will run until July 2 and is one of the world’s longest continually-running film festivals. It first began as a documentary film festival named the International Festival of Documentary Films before featuring celebration of music and drama.

The first International Festival of Documentary Films started with the work of Henri Matisse the BBC reported on June 16.

First launching in 1947, the festival is known for hosting emerging British talent over the past years as it premiered movies such as that of Robert Rossellini, Robert Flaherty, Jacques Tati, and animator Norman Maclaren according to the festival’s website.

EIFF has also hosted Women’s Film Festival that was targeted for female directors in 1972. Lynda Myles was the first woman to take the role of the festival director from 1973-1980. The festival has welcomed many prominent actors including John Huston, Gene Kelly, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Carlyle, and Cate Blanchett among others.

Many directors premiered their short films in Edinburgh including Michelangelo Antonioni (1948), John Schlesinger (1956), and George Lucas. The festival screened the works of female directors including Kathryn Bigelow’s The Set-Up in 1978.

EIFF will feature several events this edition including the EIFF Industry Program, a 15-minute one-to-one meeting with industry professionals such as distributors and casting directors, and discussions about the process of filmmaking, networking opportunities, the EIFF Screen Summit, and roundtable discussions.

The event will also host workshops specialized in the filmmaking process.