Nice 'do kicks off EIFF

Stars out for absurdist serial killing barber flick The Legend Of Barney Thomson

by Amber Wilkinson

Robert Carlyle and his wife Anastasia on the red carpet for The Legend Of Barney Thompson world premiere.
Robert Carlyle and his wife Anastasia on the red carpet for The Legend Of Barney Thompson world premiere. Photo: Courtesy of EIFF
Ashley Jensen on the red carpet for EIFF
Ashley Jensen on the red carpet for EIFF Photo: Courtesy of EIFF
The 69th Edinburgh International Film Festival officially got under way last night with the world premiere of Robert Carlyle's directorial debut The Legend Of Barney Thomson.

The cast were out in force to support the screening of the film that tells the story of the hapless titular barber, who finds himself unwittingly drawn into a murder investigation. Carlyle stars as Thomson, with Emma Thompson wrinkling up to play his dear old mum. Although Thompson was unable to attend because she's currently shooting Disney's Beauty And The Beast remake, cast members including James Cosmo, Martin Compston, Ashley Jensen, Brian Pettifer, Tom Courtenay, Sam Robertson and Kevin Guthrie all graced the red carpet.

Carlyle introduced the screening to a packed Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, recalling when he first started out on stage he played to "three nuns and a whippet".

James Cosmo on the red carpet.
James Cosmo on the red carpet. Photo: Courtesy of EIFF
At the party after the screening at the National Museum of Scotland, there was a steady stream of people giving a couple of barber's chairs a spin, while a band played some of the 60s hits featured in the film.

Share this with others on...
News

Spotlight on forgotten history Miwa Nishikawa on telling the story of post-war street orphans in Children Untold

A compulsion for cinema Thomas Bond on the secret of being a producer, the value of flaws, and Imposters

Streaming spotlight: off with their heads! Hold onto your noggin as we reflect on characters who have lost theirs entirely

'This has to be the beginning of a conversation' Peter Brunner, Caleb Landry Jones and other cast members on the social impact of Down The Arm Of God

The image of desire Adrian Chiarella on confronting re-emerging homophobia with Leviticus

Jeremy Thomas dies at 77 Producer passes away days before premiere of latest film

More news and features

We're bringing you all the latest news and reviews from the Toronto International Film Festival.



We're looking forward to Fantastic Fest, San Sebastian and Beyond Fest.



We've recently brought you coverage of the Venice Film Festival, Frightfest, the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Locarno Film Festival, the Fantasia International Film Festival, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Muslim International Film Festival and Docs Ireland.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest:


Venice announces winners


LFF Full programme announced


Venice Giornate degli Autori awards announce


Festival Scope Venice Sala Web offers chance to stream shorts for free


San Sebastian Naomi Watts to receive Donostia Award