The scene set for city film fest

The 11th edition fest has the usual packed line up of premieres, world cinema and pop-up events, including the European premiere of Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young to open on February 18.

The bittersweet comedy stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as the couple knocked off course by a younger, hotter twosome (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried).

Getting back to roots and a major theme for this year is Glasgow’s reputation as a Cinema City, playing backdrop to films like World War Z, Cloud Atlas and Under the Skin.

There’s a new strand to the GFF too, with the ticket-buying public voting from a selection of 10 first and second-time directors, and film critics casting their votes for a critics choice award.

Festival co-director Allan Hunter said: “Glasgow’s love affair with the movies is a passion that never fades and one that lies at the heart of the year’s Glasgow Film Festival, and our Cinema City strand celebrates the love affair in special screenings, talks and an exhibition.”

Co-director Allison Gardner added: “As ever, we’ve tried first and foremost to create a programme that our audiences will enjoy, and our special events strand in particular should be great fun.”

Included in the billing are the first ever film screenings at the Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church, The Goonies and more themed, site-specific films shown at the Drygate brewery, and Mad IMAX — the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max 2 on the biggest screen in the country.

The UK premiere of Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure — a gripping film worthy of a wind-down debate afterwards — will close the festival on March 1.

Tickets for the main festival are now on sale — to find out more, visit www.glasgowfilm.org/festival.