Edinburgh International Film Festival is delighted to announce that the riotous social satire Boyz in the Wood will open the 73rd edition of Edinburgh International Film Festival. The European Premiere will take place at Festival Theatre on Wednesday 19th June. Tickets will go on sale at 10:00am on Wednesday 1st May. Tickets can be purchased here
Set deep in the Scottish Highlands, Boyz in the Wood is an anarchic cocktail of generational politics, hip-hop loving farmers, and hallucinogenic rabbit droppings. As four city boys try to escape a mysterious huntsman, played brilliantly by a menacing Eddie Izzard, the Highlands’ police force trails behind, failing spectacularly and hilariously to provide assistance. Rising stars Rian Gordon, Samuel Bottomley, Viraj Juneja and Lewis Gribben lead a star-studded cast including Scottish greats Kate Dickie, EIFF Honorary Patron James Cosmo and Kevin Guthrie.
Boyz in the Wood is the debut feature of music video director Ninian Doff, who also penned the script, a long-time friend and supporter of EIFF, who was one of the first graduates of film group SKAMM (Scottish Kids Are Making Movies), held at Edinburgh Filmhouse and run by Shiona Wood, to whom Doff dedicates the film to in the closing credits.
Doff says: “It’s hard to put into words what a huge honour it is for me to have Boyz in the Wood open the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2019. It’s been an incredible journey for me and real tribute to the amazing start I got all those years ago at this very festival. I’m from Edinburgh and for my debut film I really wanted to make a film that captured a very particular Scottish joy, madness and humour; and that was also modern, political and forward looking. Everybody, both cast and crew, brought so much passion and energy to make this film and it’s going to be very special for it to have its European Premiere, not only in my hometown, but also at such an important festival.”
Mark Adams, Artistic Director of Edinburgh International Film Festival added: “We are thrilled to be opening this year’s festival with this vibrant, energetic and wonderfully raucous new film that showcases a wide range of Scottish talent, from rising stars to established performers. Boyz in the Wood is a blast from start to finish and will start EIFF perfectly.”
Ninian Doff and the cast are expected to attend the red carpet at this year’s Festival.
Boyz in the Wood was produced by Matthew Plouffe, Tobey Maguire, Brian Coffey, Laura Tunstall with Executive Producers Richard Weinberg, Eddie Izzard, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa, Marisa Clifford, Tim Headington, Lia Buman, Mette-Marie Kongsved.
For more information on this year’s Festival visit edfilmfest.org.uk.
