EIFF
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THAT BLING YOU DO As evidenced by Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, this year’s EIFF isn’t all about gritty, sparse and sobre dramas. Here we take a look at five films that add a touch of glitz, gold and glamour to the EIFF programme
PEDAL POWER
Local fi lmmaker Matt Hulse has spent 13 years creating Dummy Jim, a part fi ction, part documentary, impressionistic portrait of James Duthie, a deaf-mute Scotsman who cycled 6000 miles to the Arctic Circle and back. Ahead of its UK premiere, Hulse reveals some of the stories and memories from making the fi lm
THE EAST At first glance, this eco-activist infiltration thriller doesn’t appear so blingy, but the cast comprises some of the most attractive young talent Hollywood has to offer, including Brit Marling, Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgård. Cineworld, Thu 20, Sun 23 Jun.
THE WAY WE DANCE Focusing on the bling-obsessed hip hop genre, this film follows the established dance movie protocol of ‘talented outsider earns respect of her peers’. Except it’s filmed in Hong Kong and features tai chi-inspired moves. Cineworld, Sat 22 & Sun 23 Jun.
THE GREAT HIP HOP HOAX Another film taking its lead from the rap game, this (kind of) true story follows two Dundee boys, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, (pictured above) as they try to make it (or just fake it) in the musical style that covets bling more than any other. Cineworld, Wed 26 & Thu 27 Jun; Odeon Wester
Hailes, Fri 28 Jun. IL FUTURO
This moving drama between a young woman (Manuella Martelli) and a reclusive and elderly blind man (Rutger Hauer), might not appear to be immediately glitzy – until you remember she only starts romancing him to steal his millions. Filmhouse, Thu 27 & Fri 28 Jun.
GOLD It may be a minimalist German western about the harshness of the frontier wilderness, but the titular substance at the plot’s core is literally the stuff bling is made of. Cineworld, Sat 29 Jun; Filmhouse, Sun 30 Jun. (Niki Boyle)
26 THE LIST 13 Jun–11 Jul 2013
On one of the inspirations for the film ‘My interest in deafness stems not from personal experience but from Carson McCullers’ The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, set in the deep south of the USA. The central character is a deaf- mute called Singer who is left isolated when his childhood friend (also deaf-mute) is jailed. An eclectic bunch of troubled (hearing) townsfolk emerge and pivot around Singer. He appears to offer them solace and calm understanding, listening to their troubles. The rather pathetic tragedy is that, of course, Singer can’t hear them (it’s a clumsy conceit, I’ll admit, but it grabs me). Duthie reminded me of Singer, and offered an opportunity: a unique silent central character onto whom much can be projected.’ On Duthie’s incredible journey ‘According to Joy Buchan, Duthie’s second cousin, the cyclist left for his 6000 mile trip with just “a couple of jumpers, khaki knickers, a simple map . . . I’m not even sure he had a tent.” She promised me not to tell anyone that he also smelled “awful strong of mothballs”. He was also apparently very fond of egg custard and American ice cream pie (I am still trying to find out what this latter dessert actually is).’
On using archive footage ‘We’ve woven some rather beautiful archive footage into the film. Some of this, featuring James Duthie himself, is from the cyclist’s own 16mm holiday movies. On the final day of the shoot we were gifted the material by Alma Smith and Vera Buchan who had unearthed it in their attic in St Combs. Before that discovery, we’d only had a couple of formal portraits of Duthie, a postcard, hearsay and a few snaps from his journal to work with.’
On happy accidents ‘The scenes in which the pannier springs loose from the bike are genuine accidents, fortunately captured on camera. The crew improvised with the unexpected situation and these instances of happenstance now stand as important moments of struggle and self- reflection in the film. As Duthie may have said: “he who makes no mistakes makes nothing.”’ (As told to Gail Tolley)
Dummy Jim, Cineworld, Thu 20 & Fri 21 Jun. ➙