Film Festival cast launched

ThE programme for this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival was being launched today.

It will feature the European premiere of the Disney film Brave and the comic noir thriller Killer Joe as the opening night film on June, 20.

Last year’s festival proved disappointing, with ticket sales falling from 44,500 in 2010 to £34,500.

Traditional red carpets and film awards were dropped and the number of film premiers slumped.

But backers are determined that the festival’s new artistic director, the writer and critic Chris Fujiwara, will win back audiences and critics.

Fujiwara has pledged to double the number of premiers in 2012. Noteable films premiered at the festival in recent years include The Hurt Locker, Little Miss Sunshire and Billy Elliot.