Glasgow Film Festival today announced the full programme for its 2021 festival, with screenings hosted on Glasgow Film’s new online viewing platform Glasgow Film At Home.
The programme contains 6 World premieres, 2 European premieres and 49 UK premieres.
Tickets will go on sale from 12 noon on Monday 18 January online. More information is available at www.glasgowfilm.org./festival.
Originally planned as a hybrid in-cinema and online festival, GFF21 will now take place online only, due to the lockdown restrictions affecting most of Scotland and the rest of the UK.
The festival will open on Wednesday 24 February with Lee Isaac Chung’s autobiographical drama following a Korean-American family Minari, starring The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun,and close on Sunday 7 March with Suzanne Lindon’s debut feature Spring Blossom, a coming-of-age tale set against a dreamy Parisian backdrop.
Scottish highlights
“We are delighted to welcome back Scottish filmmaker Anthony Baxter (Flint, GFF 2020) for the World premiere of Eye of the Storm, which follows one of Scotland’s most gifted painters, James Morrison, through the last two years of his life.
“With animation from Catriona Black and a soundtrack from Karine Polwart, the result is a fond, affectionate portrait of the man and his legacy.
“As a festival that has always been strongly rooted in our home city Glasgow, we are excited to bring the UK premiere of Creation Stories to our audiences.
“Written by Irvine Welsh and starring GFF favourite Ewen Bremner, Creation Stories charts the rise of the infamous founder of Creation Records, Alan McGee.
“Directed by Nick Moran, the incredible cast includes Jason Isaacs, Suki Waterhouse and Rebecca Root. Creation Stories will be available on Sky Cinema from March 20.
“Yer Old Faither, from Adelaide Fringe director Heather Croall receives its UK premiere. Narrated by playwright and actor Gary McNair, it explores the life of her father, Glaswegian John Croall, who moved to Australia in 1970 and bought hundreds of children into the world as a local obstetrician.
“Stacey Lee’s uplifting documentary Underplayed is an intimate and revealing look at gender inequality in the electronic dance music scene, which features the city of Glasgow and local DJ Nightwave.
“David Whitney’s Killing Escobar reconstructs Scottish mercenary and ex-SAS operative Peter McAleese’s mission to assassinate Pablo Escobar, as McAleese, now 78, reflects on his demons.
“Bridging the Gap – Turbulence will showcase four shorts from the Scottish Documentary Institute’s emerging talent initiative including: Against the Tide; Harmonic Spectrum; Racing Stock and Venus & Mars.
“They are joined byLimbo, which was supported by the BFI Film Fund and is the second feature from Scottish director Ben Sharrock and the first feature film to ever shoot in Uist – a wry, bewitching comedy following a Syrian refugee (Amir El-Masry) who finds himself in a refugee centre on a remote Scottish island; and an extended edition of Iorram (Boat Song), the first feature documentary filmed entirely in Scottish Gaelic.
“Directed by the award-winning Alastair Cole and with an original score composed and performed by folk musician Aidan O’Rourke, it is a haunting evocation of life among the fishing communities of the Outer Hebrides.”
Allison Gardner, CEO of Glasgow Film and Glasgow Film Festival Co-director, said:“Glasgow Film Festival 2021 may look different to previous years, but what has not changed is the quality of incredible films from across the world that we are bringing to our audiences. The programme is filled with gems, but a few of my highlights must include Ben Sharrock’s bewitching tale of a refugee in Scotland Limbo, charming coming-of-age romance Sweetheart, Mads Mikkelsen’s stand-out performance in Riders of Justice, stunning and compelling documentary BIG vs SMALL, and Gunda, afarmyard story of a sow and her piglets that will steal your heart.”
Allan Hunter, Glasgow Film Festival Co-director, said: “Everyone is staying indoors and keeping safe and we are really excited that the 2021 Glasgow Film Festival can play its part in the home viewing landscape. A terrific selection of new features honours the Glasgow tradition of discovering gems from around the world and showcasing the very finest home-grown productions. Among the many highlights I would single out are an exceptional selection of documentaries led by Frederick Wiseman’s majestic City Hall and Sonia Kenneback’s riveting Enemies Of The State, dazzling first features from talents to watch that include Danish thriller Shorta and the beguiling romance Jumbo, and new works from Festival favourites including Iciar Bollain’s romantic charmer Rosa’s Wedding.”
Tickets for the programme will go on sale at noon on Monday 18 January at www.glasgowfilm.org/festival.
Titles will be available to view between 24 February and 7 March on online platform Glasgow Film At Home (https://athome.glasgowfilm.org/), Glasgow Film’s streaming site, launched last year to provide a curated offering of titles available to watch online.
It is free to create an account and users can pre-order the GFF21 premieres they want to watch during the festival.