Edinburgh Film Fest Boss Paul Ridd on Reviving Event, Creating Talent ‘Discovery Festival’

Less than two years ago, it seemed like the Edinburgh International Film Festival — the world’s oldest continually running film festival — had come to an end. In October 2022, just two months after celebrating its 75th edition, its organizer Centre for the Moving Image went into administration, and its main venue, the Filmhouse cinema, shut down due to rising costs and reduced trade from the pandemic. It appeared all was lost when creative director Kristy Matheson left for the BFI London Film Festival.

But the festival quickly found new life. In August 2023, a one-off iteration backed by local body Screen Scotland took place. Soon after, “Trainspotting” producer Andrew Macdonald was appointed to lead a new company to revive the event. Later in 2023, Paul Ridd, former head of acquisitions at Picturehouse Entertainment, was brought on as the director, moving from London to Edinburgh to take up the role.

For his first revamped Edinburgh Film Festival, beginning August 15, Ridd and his team have planned an impressive lineup of notable films and talent. The event will open with the U.K. premiere of “The Outrun,” a Saoirse Ronan-led drama that gained acclaim at Sundance and Berlin and has early Oscar buzz. Edinburgh will also host the first U.K. screening of Fede Alvarez’s new sci-fi film “Alien: Romulus,” alongside numerous world premieres of both features and short films. The industry side includes a keynote address by Alex Garland and conversations with legendary editor Thelma Schoonmaker and French auteur Gaspar Noé.

Ridd emphasizes the vision of turning Edinburgh into a destination festival for a wide audience, while also being a discovery festival for new talent. He aims to enhance Edinburgh’s reputation and make it more visible online.

Recalling the festival’s near-collapse in 2022, Ridd explains that they’ve had to build a completely new organization from scratch. The board, including Adam MacDonald, Amy Jackson, and Peter Rice, collaborated to create something new while honoring the festival’s history. They integrated more closely with the Fringe, taking advantage of the creative arts festival happening in August.

Festival-goers can expect the same high standard of film curation and a broad range of international cinema. Operationally, new partnerships with the Fringe and related organizations will enable new pop-up spaces in addition to cinema screenings.

Although the festival isn’t bigger in terms of the number of films, the ambition is heightened. The centerpiece includes the Sean Connery prize for filmmaking excellence, with ten world premiere features competing. The Thelma Schoonmaker prize for short filmmaking excellence will also feature world premieres competing for substantial financial rewards. Around half the program consists of world premieres, reflecting the festival’s focus on exclusive events and fresh, never-before-seen content.

Despite his past role as a buyer, Ridd still considers what will appeal to audiences, press, industry, and filmmakers. He envisions Edinburgh aligning more closely with festivals like Sundance or Telluride, focusing on discovering new work.

Ridd’s background in U.K. distribution has helped secure high-profile titles such as “The Outrun” and “Alien: Romulus.” His connections, along with those on the team and board, have been crucial in assembling a strong lineup.

Given the festival’s tumultuous past few years, Ridd is committed to its growth and stability. The team is passionate about building the event, and strong responses to the lineup and announcements indicate significant support. Utilizing the Fringe app to sell tickets has opened the festival to new audiences, contributing to its outward growth.

Lastly, Ridd humorously notes that he took the job partly to change the search engine results for his name, often confused with actor Paul Rudd. Despite his prestigious new role, it seems he still has work to do to make that change.

Source: Screen Scotland, BFI London Film Festival