It has the proud claim to fame as the world's longest continually-running celebration of cinema. There was much that was familiar as the Edinburgh International Film Festival returned nearly two years on from its sudden financial collapse. Nostalgia was definitely in the air as one of its original venues, the Cameo Cinema, took centre stage to host its opening night curtain-raiser, The Outrun, and a genuine A-list star Saoirse Ronan.
The organised chaos of the EIFF’s opening night also made a comeback, with photo calls and press interviews taking place in a jam-packed cafe-bar before Ronan, author Amy Liptrot and director Nora Fingscheidt headed down the red carpet for a final round of pictures. I had time to file my own copy before taking my seat long after the advertised start-time – to a few dirty looks in the audience from various chums who suspected I had single-handedly held up proceedings. Among those heckling me was new council chief executive Paul Lawrence, who is now ultimately responsible for keeping the city moving and the festivals going each August.
Perhaps after noticing that the bus stop outside the front door of the Cameo had been closed to accommodate the premiere, before the lights finally went down one wag in the audience said to me: “Maybe Saoirse Ronan is still on the No 16 bus.” It was a slightly more calming scene a couple of hours earlier at the Caledonian Hotel, where I met with The Outrun director Nora Fingscheidt for a quick chat before we .