 |
| Outgoing Glasgow Film Festival director Allison Gardner hands over the reins Photo: Eoin Carey |
The Glasgow Film Festival celebrates its 21st birthday this year, and will open with revenge thriller Tornado, which, like closing film Make It To Munich, is a Scottish co-production. The festival has a special quality because it will be the last for long-serving co-director Allison Gardner. “The most important thing for us just now is just making sure that we make Alison's last festival the best one we can,” said programme coordinator Chris Kumar.
He’s personally looking forward to Argentinean thriller Kill The Jockey, explaining “It's one of those films that doesn't do exactly what you think it's going to do. I think it will surprise a lot of people.” Then there are the special events. “We are turning 21 and coming of age is a theme through the festival this year. The three special events kind of focus on that. So we've got Muriel’s Wedding, we’ve got Coyote Ugly and we've got the Craft, so I’m really excited for all of those.”
Audience feedback has always been a big factor in what gets shown at the festival, which is part of a wider public conversation about film in Scotland.
“Audience is everything for us,” says Chris. “I was coming to the festival for nearly as long as I've worked here now, like nine years, so I know what it's like to be on the other side and I know how exciting it is when the program drops. For us, without an audience, a film festival is nothing at the end of the day. We focus heavily on getting the best films that we can and making the best, most diverse program possible so that there's a bit of something for everyone. “
Alongside the films in the running for the Audience Award and a number of big hitters from festivals around the world, there will be a special focus on Austria cinema (with a nod to Michael Haneke, of course), plus the legendary Glasgow Frightfest, which attracts fans from all across the UK and even further afield.
The festival will run from 26 February to 9 March.
