Popcorn at the ready, film fans

The Glasgow Film Festival returns on Wednesday (February 18), with two weeks of silver screen action lined up, and kicking off proceedings is an opening gala showing of Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young — the European premiere of the comedy starring Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts.

From there, it’s all-out film heaven, with tributes to Ingrid Bergman taking care of the nostalgic cinema-goers and a series of tours and talks celebrating Glasgow as a Cinema City.

There are one-off, special screenings dotted around, including a late night showing of the creepy Wake in Fright (described by Nick Cave as ‘the best, most terrifying film about Australia ever made’) at the Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church and Mad Max 2 at the IMAX (that’s right, Mad IMAX).

Drygate is going back in time with a 70s roller disco and Dazed and Confused — dressing up entirely enouraged — while Kelvingrove opts for sequins, and a screening of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom.

And geek culture is taken care of courtesy of Glasgow’s own Robert Florence, who hits the IMAX for his annual Video Game Empty slot, as well as staging a live improv Dungeons & Dragons at the CCA.

There are special guests galore — and of course, all those films to catch, many of them UK, European or world premieres.

The fest closes with Force Majeure on March 1 — and until then, there’s far too much going on to lounge about on the couch.

Start planning your film fortnight at www.glasgowfilm.org/festival.