Movies featuring Star Wars star Adam Driver and Oscar winner Nicolas Cage will premiere at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The 74th edition of the annual event will mix in-person and digital screenings and is the first since the coronavirus pandemic.

It will open with the European premiere of Michael Sarnoski’s Pig, starring Nicolas Cage as a reclusive truffle hunter.

Leos Carax’s Annette, starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard and co-written by pop veterans Sparks, will be shown for the first time in the UK, fresh from success at the Cannes festival, where it won Best Director.

A special preview screening of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, with Sharon Horgan and Richard E Grant, and the UK premiere of Here Today from comedy hero Billy Crystal – which will close the festival – will also feature.

The festival will take place from August 18 to 25 and includes 31 new features and 73 shorts, with 18 world premieres.

The majority of screenings will take place at the Filmhouse, with the opening gala and special preview at Festival Theatre and others taking place across Scotland.

Scottish films include the documentary Prince Of Muck and Hebridean drama The Road Dance, based on a book by STV News presenter John MacKay, who also stars.

International movies will focus on issues including refugees, the justice system in Iran and South Africa’s legacy of apartheid.

Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said she is “delighted to welcome the festival back after its absence last year to remind us of the magic of watching films on the big screen.”

Ms Gilruth said: “This year’s festival programme includes an exciting series of screenings, events and networking opportunities, as well as a series of talent development initiatives, which I am pleased to support.

“Through the Scottish Government’s Place programme, over £124,500 has been awarded to the festival to support a range of activity including a talent lab for professional development; script starter, a new screenwriting programme for under-represented writing talent from across Scotland; and a dedicated youth programme, designed to engage young people directly and support aspiring film makers.”

Nick Varley, lead guest programmer of the festival, said: “Despite the obvious challenges of presenting a festival during a pandemic… we are delighted to share this smaller than usual line-up with audiences.

“This year we have worked hard to ensure a diverse range of voices among the UK, European and international premieres, including achieving gender parity in our main selection.

“It’s been a joy working with such a fantastic team of programmers and we hope cinemagoers enjoy the films as much as we enjoyed selecting them.”

Tickets go on general sale at noon on Thursday.

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