Edinburgh International Film Festival announces special In Conversation event
Edinburgh International Film Festival announces special In Conversation event with Ken Loach, Paul Laverty & Rebecca O’Brien at this year's Festival.
Article Source: Edinburgh International Film Festival
Last Updated: 20 July 2025 12:10
EIFF runs from 14-20 August 2025
Image: Paul Laverty, Ken Loach and Rebecca O’Brien
Edinburgh: Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is pleased to welcome legendary British filmmaker Ken Loach and his longtime creative collaborators, writer Paul Laverty and producer Rebecca O'Brien, for a special In Conversation event at this year’s Festival.
The trio will discuss the acclaimed films they have created together over the years including Palme D'Or Winners The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016). The event takes place on Wednesday 20 August at 11am at Tollcross Central Hall.
This event will then be followed by a special retrospective screening of the filmmakers’ 2006 Palme D'Or winning film The Wind That Shakes The Barley. Starring Cillian Murphy, the film is a heartfelt and stirring epic exploring the rift that emerges between two brothers who find themselves fighting against one another in the conflict over Irish independence in the early 1920s.
Presented from a 35mm print, this screening will be preceded by a special introduction by the filmmakers. The event takes place on Wednesday 20 August at 1.30pm in Filmhouse Screen 1.
Tickets are now on sale for both events via the EIFF website.
EIFF’s In Conversation strand also features a range of other major filmmaking talent who will discuss their creative careers to date including director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, Touching the Void, One to One: John & Yoko) speaking with his brother, producer Andrew Macdonald (Trainspotting, Civil War, 28 Years Later), in a wide ranging conversation about filmmaking and their respective careers. Kevin will also present a screening of The Cranes are Flying (1957), a film which has heavily influenced his work.
Trailblazing filmmaker Nia Da Costa will discuss her acclaimed work which spans independent film, horror sequels and major studio comic book adaptations including The Marvels, Candyman and upcoming film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Nia will also present a special 4K restoration of Doug Liman’s 90s black comedy Go, a film that was a source of early inspiration for her.
From breakout horror thriller Kill List to EIFF Midnight Madness Opening Film Bulk, via hilarious black comedy Sightseers and many more, filmmaker Ben Wheatley and long time producing partner Andy Starke will discuss their collaborations and their working dynamic.
Award-winning writer and director Andrea Arnold is one of the UK’s most outstanding filmmakers. She will discuss her searing debut feature Red Road (2006), also screening at EIFF this year, which won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut, along with her critically acclaimed work such as Fish Tank, American Honey, Cow and, most recently, Bird.
Legendary producer Jeremy Thomas (Eureka, 13 Assassins, Sexy Beast) will discuss his long and varied career, which includes collaborations with Nicolas Roeg, Takeshi Miike and Jonathan Glazer, in a conversation with filmmaker Mark Cousins (A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things, The Story of Film, The Storms of Jeremy Thomas). Jeremy Thomas will also introduce a special 35mm screening of Nicolas Roeg’s Bad Timing (1980), one of his earliest films.
Edinburgh International Film Festival will run from 14-20 August 2025. Building on EIFF’s reinvigorated vision under new leadership from CEO and Festival Director Paul Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa, the Festival will continue to accelerate the discovery of new film talent and engage with audiences, industry members and local, national and international media.
The Festival team aims to create a world-class showcase for independent film and filmmaking talent. Ridd is supported by the EIFF Board, led by Chair Andrew Macdonald of DNA Films, producer of the iconic Edinburgh-based film Trainspotting; and Vice Chair Amy Jackson, producer of BAFTA award-winning indie, Aftersun; as well as Peter Rice, former Chairman of General Entertainment at Disney and President of 21st Century Fox; Teresa Moneo, Former Director of UK Film, Netflix; Isla Macgillivray, Partner at Saffrey; and Romana Ramzan, Producer at No Code Studio.
Paul Ridd, CEO & Festival Director, has said, “It is a great honour for us to welcome Ken Loach, Paul Laverty and Rebecca O’Brien for what promises to be a lively and fascinating discussion of their work together, with two Palme D’Ors to their names and a body of work that includes ferociously powerful films produced across decades. We are also delighted to be presenting one of their major films THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY from a 35mm print. It is a genuine thrill to be able to add this formidable trio to a roster of speakers at EIFF in a programme of In Conversation events which already includes Jeremy Thomas, Nia Da Costa, Andrew and Kevin Macdonald, Andrea Arnold and Ben Wheatley.”
EIFF 2025 is supported by Screen Scotland.
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