Saturday, June 28, 2008

Almost the end

It's the last day of the festival proper - tomorrow is "best of the fest" and the award ceremony, but I will be heading south by then. I've got three films to see today, but I finally saw my "wow" film two nights ago - "Man on Wire".

"Man on Wire" is the story of Philippe Petit and his high wire walk between the two towers of the World Trade Centre in 1974. Currently leading the vote for the Standard Life Audience Award and deservedly so, it's a stunning film. It lasts 2 hours, but the film is so absorbing that the time just flies by. It uses archive footage and home films made by Petit and his friends and collaborators in the run up to the attempt, combined with interviews with those people now. Director James Marsh was joined on stage afterwards by Philippe Petit himself, to enthusiastic applause led by Sean Connery, who happened to be sitting directly behind me, (BTW is it a bit pervy and wrong to think a man aproaching his 78th birthday has got the sexiest voice in the world?) Definitely the best film I've seen all festival, and indeed, for some time.

Lots of EIFF news here, including a podcast with Brian Cox (another man with a rather fine voice) talking about his new film "Red", which on the basis of the clip I've seen, is another tour de force performance from him.

Last batch of reviews and photos tomorrow, all being well.

3 Comments:

Blogger potdoll said...

Man on Wire sounds amazing. Hope I get chance to see it.

Don't suppose you saw Better Things did you Sal? I'm itching to see it.

Also, what's the festival like in its new format away from the main Edinburgh Festival? Hard to imagine.

1:27 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Keep in mind that as good as the film is there are parts of it that aren't true. They have been made up by the director to dramatize the film more. I personally don't understand why he had to add scenes that weren't true to an already amazing story.
Scene: Man or roof who strips down to feel the fishing line that is attached to arrow shot from other tower.
This scene is made up. Never happened in real story.

7:59 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Glad you had a good time north of the border. I don't know how you find the energy for everything you fit in!

(I'm trying to catch up with everyone properly now I've finished my web course and got the latest drama production out of the way.)

Hopefully see you online soon.

11:36 am  

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