A new Gala strand is designed to present major UK premieres.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival (June 18-29) is to introduce number of new strands will be added to the 2014 programme, including a focus on German cinema, as submissions open today.

The new sections will include a Gala strand, which aims to present major UK premieres of both British and international films, and a strand of family films entitled For the Family.

Genre films and edgy fare from around the world will be featured in “an even more adventurous and farther-reaching strand than the previous ‘Night Moves’”, according to the festival.

In addition, a New Perspectives strand will showcase new fiction and documentary filmmaking that raises challenging questions about the medium.

Strands continued from 2013 include American Dreams, Director’s Showcase, Films on Film and the continuation of EIFF’s strand of films programmed by teenagers aged 16-19 for their peers. 

The Michael Powell Award and International Competition will also return with titles selected from across the programme.

Chris Fujiwara, EIFF artistic director, said: “We were keen to revisit how we structure the EIFF programme and especially the strands we use to help our audiences find the films they wish to see. 

“With the new strands to be introduced in 2014, we hope to make it easier for audiences to navigate the richness of our programme; to explore the work of the emerging filmmakers we champion at Edinburgh each year, and to celebrate unconventional filmmaking. ”

German Focus

EIFF 2014 will include a German Focus in partnership with German Films.

Details are not yet available but it will include screenings of new and retrospective titles, which will run parallel to a bespoke programme of industry events, with members of the German film industry in attendance.

EIFF, first established in 1947, is supported by Creative Scotland, the BFI, the Scottish Government through the Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, the City of Edinburgh Council, and EventScotland.

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