Film fest It would be an honour to see our old friend
GOLF ENDURED TERRIBLE LOSS OF CHAMP SON
Organisers hope Sir Sean Connery, dad of movie director Jason, might join him on the red carpet later this month.
Edinburgh Film Festival bosses have invited the James Bond star to accompany his son to the world premiere.
Having the Connerys together on opening night would be a fitting tribute to the father and son duo who inspired the movie that will open this year’s festival.
If Sir Sean, 85, does make it along to the premiere, it will be the first time he has attended the event since he stood down as patron six years ago.
Festival artistic director Mark Adams said: “I am sure Jason, who is just really excited his film is being shown here, has been in touch with him.
“Sean was always a great supporter of the film festival. It would be amazing but pinning down actors and actresses is the hardest job in the world.”
Award-winning actor Peter Mullan, who plays Old Tom, and War & Peace star Jack Lowden, who plays his son, are also expected to make a red carpet appearance on the opening night of the festival, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
Jason said: “It’s so exciting. I remember standing in the middle of a field in Fife during the shoot and saying to Peter and Jack that Tommy’s Honour might get into the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
“Not in our wildest dreams did we think it would be the opening gala.”
Connery’s film, which was shot on location in St Andrews and Peebles in the Borders last autumn, will be screened in Edinburgh on Wednesday, June 15.
It also stars Guardian of the Galaxy’s Ophelia Lovibond as Tommy’s wife Meg Drinnen and Jurassic Park’s Sam Neill as Alexander Boothby, captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Course.
The festival will host the UK premiere of eagerly awaited Pixar animation Finding Dory.
There will also be a special 30th anniversary screening of sci-fi thriller Highlander and a 20th anniversary tribute to Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting.
The world premiere of Gillies MacKinnon’s Whisky Galore! remake will close the festival with a gala screening on Sunday, June 26.