Sir Sean Connery to attend Edinburgh film festival

Sir Connery is to attend this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival to help celebrate Scotland's Year of Homecoming - reports the Scotsman.

A Film Festival patron, Sir Sean is among a host of stars expected to attend this years event, including Oscar winner Kate Winslet, who is likely to join husband Sam Mendes for the opening night Gala screening of his film Away We Go.

Among the star names set to attend the film festival for the first time are Carlos Cuarón, Diego Luna, Guy Pearce, Joe Dante, Kathryn Bigelow, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Meera Syal, Michael Fassbender and William H. Macy.

In addition, the red carpet events at the festival are expected to attract stars such as Claire Danes, Emily Blunt, Peter Saarsgard and Paul Thomas Anderson.

And among those returning to the film festival are Scots star Alan Cumming, visionary director Alfonso Cuarón, as well as Bill Forsyth, Brenda Blethyn, Darren Aronofsky, Ewen Bremner, Ian Hart, Jaime Winstone, Paddy Considine, Robin Wright-Penn, Roger Corman, Sam Mendes and Shane Meadows.

Organiser of the EIFF also revealed the programme for the free Film Festival Under the Stars, which this year will recognise the work of the Festival's Patrons Tilda Swinton, Robert Carlyle, Seamus McGarvey and Sir Sean.

The outdoor screenings will show Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Chronicles of Narnia, Stone of Destiny and Charlotte's Web, representing family films from each of the Patron's careers to date.

The al-fresco screenings have traditionally been held at The Mound but this year will relocate to The Grassmarket.

The Film Festival Under the Stars is part of the Homecoming Scotland celebrations at the EIFF, which will also including a celebration for returning EIFF alumni to be attended by Sir Sean, and a 15th Anniversary screening of Danny Boyle's Shallow Grave, which was first premiered at the EIFF in 1994.

Ginnie Atkinson, Managing Director, said: "Film Festival Under the Stars is a free annual event that aims to introduce the EIFF to new audiences.

"A fun event for cinema fans of all ages, and in celebration of Homecoming Scotland, the Festival is proud to present a selection of work from its four Patrons.

"We are also delighted to have so many international filmmakers and actors attending the Festival this year."

This years EIFF runs from 17-28 June.

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