'Iona' will close Film Festival 2015

Edinburgh International Film Festival has announced that this year's festival will close with the world première screening of Iona, a drama set on the beautiful Hebridean island.

Hot on the heels of last week's announcement on the 12 day event's opening film, the festival (17-28 June) will bring its programme to an end with director Scott Graham's piece, described as 'part coming-of-age story and part returning-home drama'

Scott Graham said:

I discovered many films and filmmakers at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Edinburgh was my home all through my twenties and it was in venues like Filmhouse and the Cameo where I learned the value of the stories we tell and the emotions we share.

I'm thrilled Iona will have its première here and doubly thrilled it will close the Festival. What an honour.

The film stars Ruth Negga (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D) as a woman named after the titular island of her birth, who returns with her teenage son to seek refuge from a violent crime in Glasgow.

Other cast members include Douglas Henshall (Shetland), Tom Brooke (The Boat That Rocked) and Michelle Duncan (Atonement), with two young Scottish actors, Ben Gallagher and Sorcha Groundsell making their debuts.

Mark Adams, Artistic Director of EIFF said:

We are thrilled to be closing this year’s Festival with Scott Graham’s lovely, moving and enthralling Iona.  He is a striking cinematic talent and the film will wrap this year’s Festival in the perfect way.

To find out more about Iona and the 2015 Film Festival, please visit the EIFF website.

Images: Ruth Negga in 'Iona' (EIFF), Ruth Negga, Douglas Henshall and Ben Gallagher in 'Iona' (EIFF)