Irish Abroad: Three Irish films head to Edinburgh International Film Festival

The Edinburgh International Film ‘s new artistic director, Mark Adams, today unveiled the line-up for this year’s festival. The festival, which runs June 17th to 28th, includes 24 world premieres, eight international premieres, 16 European premieres and 84 U.K. premieres, showcasing 164 features from 36 countries.

Amongst those 164 features are 3 from Ireland, with Mark Noonan’s debut feature You’re Ugly Too competing for The Audience Award and The Award For Best International Feature Film. Noonan is joined by Simon Pummell’s UK, Irish and Netherlands co-production Brand New-U, and Corin Hardy’s The Hallow.

Written and directed by Noonan, You’re Ugly Too stars Aidan Gillen as Will, who is released from prison on compassionate leave to care of his niece Stacey, after the death of her mother. An odd couple of sorts, they leave the city behind to pursue what they both hope will be a fresh start in the sleepy surroundings of the Irish midlands. The two bicker and fight as they adjust to their new life together and make tentative steps towards becoming an improvised family. Element Pictures Distribution will bring the film to irish screens on July 24th.

Brand New-U follows the 33-year-old Slater (Lachlan Nieboer), who obsessively chases Nadia (Nora-Jane Noone), the love of his life. When she suddenly disappears Slater wants to report her missing, but realizes he knows nothing about her. The only clue he has is Brand New-U, a strange organization that deals in new personalities. In an attempt to find Nadia, Slater makes a deal with the organization and takes on a new identity. But when the borders between his identities start to blur, Slater will have to confront himself.

The Hallow follows a London-based conservationist who moves to Ireland with his wife and baby, to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground. He unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. The film stars Joseph Mawle (Ripper Street),  Bojana Novakovic (Edge of Darkness),  Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones) and Michael Smiley (The World’s End). The Hallow screens as part of the EIFF’s partnership with Scotland’s award-winning Horror festival, Dead By Dawn. Screening at Filmhouse since 1993, Dead By Dawn is the UK’s longest running horror film festival, and was the recipient of this year’s Event of the Year Award at the This Is Horror Awards. Produced by Fantastic Films, The Hallow is out in Ireland on June 26th.

In addition to these 3 films, the festival closes with the Ruth Negga starring Iona on June 28th.