EIFF to close with After Yang

Festival pays tribute to 1972 female director event with this year's theme

by Amber Wilkinson

Colin Farrell in After Yang
Colin Farrell in After Yang Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

Edinburgh International Film Festival has announced the closing night film for its 75th edition will be Kogonada’s After Yang.

The Closing Gala screening is expected to have the Director Kogonada in attendance to present the film.

The film, which had its world premiere at Cannes last year, tells the story of a family's grief after their daughter's AI companion 'dies', and stars Colin Farrell and Justin H Min.

Director Kogonada said “I’m honored and thrilled that our film has been picked to close the 75th Edinburgh International Film Festival. I hope my schedule allows me to attend in person so that I can present the film on the big screen to the engaged festival audience there.”

Kristy Matheson, EIFF creative director, added “As a huge fan of Kogonada’s previous film Columbus I could not be happier to be closing the Edinburgh International Film Festival with the director’s latest offering. After Yang is an exquisite jewel of a film, boasting knockout performances from some of the finest acting talents from Ireland and the UK. I’m sure audiences will share my enthusiasm for this thought provoking and deeply moving film. Many thanks to Sky Cinema in making the film available to us.”

The festival will also see Kogonda programme a Carte Blanche series of films that inspired After Yang. In addition the festival, which runs from August 12 to 20, will have a theme honouring the spirit of the 1972 edition of the festival's presentation of the first global film event enitrely dedicated to the cinematic achievements of female directors, curated by Claire Johnston, Lynda Myles, and Laura Mulvey.

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