Edinburgh

Well over a hundred people gathered in Edinburgh's Festival Square Saturday morning to participate in a Laurel and Hardy-inspired flash mob led by Mark Cousins and Tilda Swinton, who were in town promoting the official launch of their 8 1/2 Foundation. Dozens of the dancers had reunited in Edinburgh days earlier after meeting at last summer's "A Pilgrimage", a film festival of sorts which Cousins and Swinton had facilitated in Northern Scotland. After a few Swinton and Cousins-led practice sessions in and around the city, the resulting performance went off quite splendidly. Check out complete video of the performance here.

Edinburgh International Film Festival patron Tilda Swinton showed up for the festival's closing night screening of Hattie Dalton's "Third Star," which was preceded by the festival's annual awards announcement, which Swinton assisted in. Photo courtesy of the festival.

"The Dry Land" star America Ferrera attends the closing night festivities at the Edinburgh International Film Festival this weekend, where her film won an award. Photo courtesy of the festival.

Antonio Plazza receives the Edinburgh International Film Festival's Best International Short Award for his and Fabio Grassadonia's film "Rita" at the Mercure Point Penthouse in Edinburgh Tuesday evening. [Photo courtesy of the festival.]

The Edinburgh International Film Festival celebrated its 2010 "Trailblazers" earlier this week. Stewart Comrie (pictured) was among the 10 up-and-coming British film industry folks honored. Comrie directed the short animated film "Battenberg," which is screening at the festival. [Photo courtesy of the festival.]

"I was a huge fan before I met him and now I am even more so. It has been fantastic to have his great presence and support at the film festival," Edinburgh International Film Festival Artistic Director Hannah McGill said as she introduced Sir Patrick Stewart to the stage for the festival's BAFTA Scotland Interview. "I am at the end of what has been one of the best weeks of my career – being here in Edinburgh in this glorious weather watching film after film," Stewart said on stage. "There is always something to be learned – something to be discovered." Stewart said he'd seen upwards of 30 films since arriving at the fest.

"Humpday" director Lynn Shelton with Edinburgh International Film Festival artistic director Hannah McGill after the UK Premiere of her film "Humpday." Image courtesy of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

"Turn It Loose" director Alastair Siddons in Edinburgh last week, just prior to the well-received world premiere of his doc "Turn It Loose." The film follows 16 of the world's best b-boys battle one on one in a disused power station in the heart of Soweto, South Africa, to determine who will be the next world champion. After the film's premiere, a breakdancing workshop was held amidst Edinburgh's historic Grassmarket, where some of the doc's subjects taught aspiring b-boys some moves.

Legendary B-movie master Roger Corman spoke in Edinburgh at a packed 90 minute panel Wednesday. That night, we was spotted with the star of Tali Shalom Ezer's "Surrogate," Amir Wolf, who gushed that he was a "huge Corman fan." The Edinburgh International Film Festival concludes this weekend.

Katie Jarvis just had a pretty unique 18th birthday. The "Fish Tank" actress spent the morning of her big day at the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh, where she was graced with both a birthday cake and an award delivered to her by Sir Sean Connery.

"Sin Nombre" director Cary Fukunaga outside the reception for R.J. Cutler's "The September Room" at the Edinburgh International Film Festival last night. Fukunaga is in Edinburgh celebrating the European premiere of "Nombre."

"The September Issue" director R.J. Cutler enjoys some bubbly with London Film Festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron outside the reception for his Anna Wintour doc's European premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The jury for Edinburgh International Film Festival's Michael Powell Award gathered this morning in the penthouse of the Point Conference Centre. With a view of the famed Edinburgh Castle in the background, EIFF Artistic Director Hannah McGill (far left) joined jurors Claudia Puig, Frank Langella, Joe Wright, Sacha Horler, and Janet Street-Porter. Next weekend the five of them will decide the winner of the award, which gives a 20,000 pound prize to the festival's Best British Film. Previous winners include "Somers Town," "Control" and "My Summer of Love."

Andrea Arnold's Cannes favorite "Fish Tank" came home today, having its UK premiere as part of the 2009 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Pictured at Edinburgh's Festival Square today is - from left - actresses Kierston Wearing and Katie Jarvis, director Andrea Arnold, and actor Harry Treadway.

Gael Garcia Bernal, Carlos Cuarón and Diego Luna clapped for Scottish drummers that serenaded their arrival at the UK premiere of their film "Rudo y Cursi" in Edinburgh last night. Playing as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, "Rudo" screened to an enthusiastic crowd of Edinburgers before Bernal, Cuarón and Luna celebrated the event at the Apex Hotel in Edinburgh's historic Grassmarket. Guests included "Rudo" producer Alfonso Cuarón, EIFF jury member Alan Cumming, and "Outrage" director Kirby Dick (whose film also had its UK premiere last night). Photo by Michael Gorman/indieWIRE.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival's Official Patron, Sean Connery, pictured attending Lord David Puttnam's keynote speech this morning. Connery has been busy at the festival thus far, introducing the fest's Homecoming Scotland party Friday night at Edinburgh's historic Assembly Rooms. The event modeled itself after a Ceilidh, a traditional Gaelic social dance originating in Ireland and Scotland. Festival jury member Frank Langella energetically partook in the evening's dances, swinging his wife along the dance floor with a few dozen other festival goers.

Despite the typically erratic rain and sun mixture in Edinburgh today, families came out to enjoy a screening of "Charlotte's Web" in the city's picturesque Grassmarket. "Web" was just one of six films screening for free in celebration of the festival's four patrons - Tilda Swinton, Sean Connery, Robert Carlyle, and Seamus McGarvey, the cinematographer of "Web." The free series finishes off tonight with "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."

"The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" director Rebecca Miller and actress Robin Wright Penn on the red carpet for the UK premiere of the film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Photo courtesy of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Writer/director Paul Schrader ("Taxi Driver") with "Junebug" director Phil Morrison (left) at a party for his film, which had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Earlier in the day, Schrader participated in an onstage interview with Edinburgh's artistic director Shane Danielsen before a large crowd. Schrader said he believed the current crop of Hollywood executives "didn't love film," and that marketing drives what is made today. He also lamented that the traditional way of "pitching" a story is no longer prevalent in Hollywood today. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

The UK premiere of "The Business" by Nick Love closed the festival, with two packed screenings. Love (right) hung outside at the beginning of the party for his film with Tamer Hassan, who starred in the film. Harvey Weinstein was seen moments earlier asking passers-by (including us) what they thought of the film. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

One of the great stars of the Edinburgh International Film Festival is Edinburgh itself, a beautiful city and a great place to explore between screenings. This picture was taken in the city's Grassmarket area looking toward Edinburgh Castle (with Union Jack flying), site of the nightly Military Tattoo performances, a crowd-pleasing spectacle. Edinburgh has solidified its position as Scotland's capital with a new parliament following devolution. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

San Francisco Film Society associate director of programming, Linda Blackaby with Tribeca Film Festival programmer, David Kwok attended the festival. The two were also at the "Junebug" party. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

The Edinburgh International Film Festival staff are a terrific lot, seeing to our every need, and more importantly, the needs of filmmakers. Pictured here at the "Junebug" party are (right to left): Mary Davies, head of industry services, Clea Tammes, program producer, Ginnie Atkinson, the festival's managing director, and head of development, Sadie McKinlay. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

John Williams' (center) film, "Hibernation" took the "Kodak UK Film Council Award for Best British Short Film," at an intimate ceremony Sunday afternoon at the Caledonian Hilton near the city center. Pictured with Williams, who also won a young directors nod at the Cannes advertising awards, is producer Andy Gordon (right) and producer Christos Michaels. The film will soon play at the Manhattan and Chicago Children's fests. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

American filmmakers were also represented in Edinburgh. From right to left are Nathan Zellner, producer of "Flotsam/Jetsam," "The Puffy Chair" director Jay Duplass and his wife Jen Tracy, and "Flotsam/Jetsam" director David Zellner. Zellner's short screened as a UK premiere in the festival's "World Shorts 2" program, while "The Puffy Chair" screened as an international premiere at the festival. The group were at the party for "The Business," which closed the festival. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

"Gypo" director Jan Dunn (left) with cast member Chloe Sirene at the "Junebug" party. "Gypo" had its UK premiere at the festival, and screened in the British Gala section. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

"Junebug" star Alessandro Nivola (right) with British actor Alastair MacKenzie at the "Junebug" party. Aside from "Junebug," Nivola attended the Edinburgh International Film Festival as a member of the event's Michael Powell award jury, later given to Gavin Hood's "Tsotsi." Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE.