The U.K. premiere of The Outrun, starring Saoirse Ronan, will open this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), it has been announced.
In Nora Fingscheidt’s adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s best-selling memoir of the same name, Ronan’s character finds herself washed up on the Scottish islands of Orkney as she battles to rebuild her life after a decade of addiction.
Ronan, who also co-produced the film, will join filmmaker Nora Fingscheidt (System Crasher) in attendance at this year’s EIFF, running from Aug. 15-21, alongside writer Amy Liptrot and the film’s producers Sarah Brocklehurst and Dominic Norris.
The film had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and will be released by StudioCanal in the U.K. and Ireland on Sep. 27.
EIFF also revealed the name of its short film competition as The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence. Schoonmaker is celebrated for her iconic work as an editor on landmark moments in cinema history and for her legendary collaborations with Martin Scorsese, including Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street and Killers of the Flower Moon.
“The Outrun is a truly special film,” EIFF director Paul Ridd said. “Powered by an electric and fearless central performance by Saoirse Ronan, this is lyrical, momentous cinema of real rigor and intelligence, and exactly the kind of bold work we want to champion with our relaunched festival.”
“I have been a fan of Nora Fingscheidt’s uncompromising, emotional filmmaking ever since her debut System Crasher and I can think of no more fitting combination of announcements than this wonderful film as our opening with the confirmation of the legendary Thelma Schoonmaker’s gracious support for our shorts prize. We are honored to be working with such phenomenal women of cinema.”
The Outrun was developed and produced by Sarah Brocklehurst of Brock Media, Dominic Norris of Arcade Pictures, Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden, with the support of BBC Film and Screen Scotland.
Executive producers on The Outrun are Protagonist Pictures, BBC Film, Screen Scotland and MBK Productions.
The full EIFF program will be launched on Thursday, July 4 when tickets will also go on sale.
