Glasgow Film Festival records rise in admissions in 2012; sets 2013 dates

The eighth edition of Glasgow Film Festival closed last night with the UK premiere of Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre, with the 2012 edition recording a yearly rise in admissions to almost 35,000.

Over 40 filmmakers, producers and actors visited the festival, which ran Feb 16-26, taking part in 35 Q&A sessions over the programme of 239 screenings and events. Visitors included Lynn Shelton who attended the festival’s opening gala of Your Sister’s Sister and Bertrand Tavernier who introduced a special screening of the Glasgow-set Death Watch.

Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy, The Decoy Bride and The Raid, which received a standing ovation closing this year’s FrightFest strand on Saturday (25) night, were among over 30 sold-out screenings at this year’s edition.

Other highlights included a Gene Kelly flashmob greeting travellers at Glasgow Airport with a Singin’ In The Rain dance routine to mark the festival’s tribute to Gene Kelly. The YouTube post of the flashmob saw over 10,000 hits over the festival period.

Co-director of the festival, Allan Hunter, said: “Allison and I have been thrilled by the response to the 2012 Glasgow Film Festival. Cinemas have been buzzing, the number of sell-out screenings has risen and both audiences and critics have really embraced all the diverse elements of the festival programme.

“It has been a fantastic year and we can’t wait to start working on the 2013 festival.”

Preceding the festival, the Glasgow Short Film Festival ran Feb 9-12 with the inaugural Scottish Short Film Award going to Will Anderson’s The Making Of Longbird.

Glasgow Youth Film Festival, which ran Feb 5-15, recorded over 9,000 admissions – contributing to the festival’s overall admissions count – and opened with a special gala screening of The Muppets.

The 2013 edition of GFF will run Feb 14-24.