The 20th edition of the Glasgow Film Festival will run 28 February to 10 March at Glasgow Film Theatre (itself celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024) plus venues across the city. The programme boasts 11 world and international premieres, 69 UK premieres and 15 Scottish premieres, from 44 countries.
Documentary world and international premieres include a new restoration of Billy Connolly: Big Banana Feet, the rarely seen documentary shot during his 1975 tour of Ireland. Restored by the BFI in collaboration with the film’s director Murray Grigor from the only two 16mm prints known to exist, this “comedy charmer” follows Billy on his legendary 1975 tour of Ireland.
The festival will close on 10 March with the world premiere of Janey by John Archer, described as “an honest, moving and often hilarious documentary about Glasgow comedian Janey Godley, interweaving stories from her life with footage from her Not Dead Yet tour in the wake of her terminal cancer diagnosis.” Janey found fame for her “sweary anti-Trump placards, became a social media sensation as she revoiced then-Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid briefings, was called out for controversial historic tweets and was trying to rebuild her career when she received her diagnosis.” Following its world premiere in Glasgow, Janey will be released in UK cinemas from 15 March.
Urgent true stories receiving their UK premiere at the festival include Caroline Suh and Cara Mones’ Sorry/Not Sorry, following the sexual misconduct allegations made against Louis C.K. and the effects his comeback has on those who came forward.
Behind the camera talent have their moment in the spotlight with Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger, a personal and moving look at two of British cinemas greatest filmmakers, narrated by Martin Scorsese; and Frank Capra: Mr America, the story of how a young immigrant rose through the ranks of early Hollywood to become one of the Great American storytellers. GFF24 will also host the UK Premiere of Jack Archer’s Bill Douglas: My Best Friend, a look at the extraordinary lifelong friendship between one of Scotland’s greatest filmmaking talents Bill Douglas and Peter Jewell, the man who became his close friend, confidant and creative muse when they met doing National Service in Egypt in the 1950s, living and working together until Bill’s death from cancer aged 57.
Scottish audiences will have the first chance to see Sean Devlin’s hybrid narrative documentaryAsog, following Jaya, a non-binary Filipino school teacher and typhoon survivor on a road trip to enter a drag pageant; and Glasgow-born Oscar-winner Kevin Macdonald’s new documentary, High and Low: John Galliano, charting the rise and fall of the legendary fashion designer. Also enjoying is Scottish premiere is Opus: Ryuichi Sakamoto, by Neo Sora, described as “a swansong live performance from the legendary Japanese composer recorded just before his death in 2023.” I Dream in Photos follows Pulitzer Prize-winning Northern Irish photojournalist Cathal McNaughton as he is banned from re-entering India and left stranded in his rural Irish hometown, separated from his family, friends and camera.
Audience Award, Sponsored by MUBI
The Audience Award is the only prize handed out at Glasgow Film Festival, and is given to an outstanding feature film by a first or second-time director. The eight-strong shortlist for the GFF24 Audience Award featuresThe Home Game, the true story of how a plucky village football side became determined to play a home game in Iceland’s FA Cup.
2024 Country Focus: Czech, Please!
Each year the festival shines a light on global cinema, exploring contemporary and re-discovered film and this year the festival’s Country Focus shines on the Czech Republic).The Czech, please! programmeincludes Daisies, a radical feminist comedy doc from Věra Chytilová, once banned for its stance on communism and patriarchy, and Is There Any Place For Me, Please?, a debut feature documentary and UK premiere fromJarmila Štukováwhich showcases an intimate portrayal of one woman navigating life after an acid attack.
Gestures of Memory: After the Archive
Gestures of Memory: After the Archive is a series of screenings which interrogate and re-imagine archival practice, an includes The Cemetery of Cinema, filmmaker Thierno Souleymane Diallo’s journey to understand the production behind Mouramani (1953), the first film made in Guinea and French-speaking Africa and locate a copy of its print. R21 AKA Restoring Solidarity is Mohanad Yaqubi’s experimental documentary about resistance across geographies, inspired by his receipt of a mysterious package containing twenty lost 16mm films collected by Japanese activists who were part of the country’s solidarity movement with Palestine.
Allison Gardner, CEO of Glasgow Film and Director of GFF, said: “I am extremely proud to have been here for every one of Glasgow Film Festival’s 20 editions. My thanks go to everyone who has helped us to get this far. Many, many people have worked incredibly hard to make this the friendliest film festival in the world.
Isabel Davis, Executive Director of Screen Scotland comments: “Screen Scotland is thrilled to support this very special anniversary edition of the Glasgow Film Festival. This year’s outstanding programme richly demonstrates GFF’s dedication to the best in cinema from Scotland and around the world.”
Glasgow Life Chair, Bailie Annette Christie, adds: “Glasgow Film Festival is one of the most popular annual highlights of our city’s cultural events programme. It is always greatly anticipated by audiences from near and far, as well as industry professionals, and is internationally renowned as a carefully curated showcase of the best of world cinema. This 20th edition of the festival offers an extensive, exciting programme featuring an incredible and diverse range of contemporary and retrospective film across all genres, special screenings, and other events. I’ve no doubt we can look forward to another hugely successful festival that will reinforce Glasgow’s standing as a great destination for cinema, and a city in which our passion for film is matched by our talent and expertise in the film, TV and creative industries.”
