The 52nd Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) came and went for another year, but the promise in the festival programme that the theme for this year would be glam, in all its possible meanings could be seen as a fantasy in itself... a sort of Purple Rose of Cairo experience...than relating to the reality of the festival.

'Glam films', do not a glamourous festival make. Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine, a 70s glam-rock fiashback to spangles and androgyne, did provide an opportunity, for the boys to wear glittery eye-shadow and feather boa with impunity at the gala party. Thankfully the strength and identity of EIFF is not dependant on glamour alone, even when applying the broadest interpretation suggested. What EIFF does best, with its limited budget and dependence on goodwill support, is to concentrate and focus on the films.

Edinburgh provides easily accessible venues for the screening of World and domestic films in all formats and lengths, arranging seminars with industry professionals in the excellent scene-by-scene, and promoting the continually successful and unique NBX (New British Expo) which gives new film makers access to film flnance, markets and international networks. The final selection of films screened could be debated ad inflnitum, but two are worth a special mention. The first is Slam (US), a grand prize winner at this year's Sundance festival. Directed by Marc Levin, it features the performing poet Saul Williams. Both Saul and co-star Sonja Sohn were involved in the original script, which was unique in its concept as it emerged from actual dialogue with inmates from a prison writing workshop. Slam is essentially a redemptive love story between a visiting teacher and a prisoner. Shot in an actual prison using real inmates the drama is perceptive in its depiction of life in prison for the majority of the Black inmates there.

At the festival screening Marc Levin said his inspiration was Danny Boyle's Trainspotting. He had, of course, not seen Menelik Shabazz's Burning An Illusion. Divorce Iranian Style, (UK) Jointly directed by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini, is also notable. An understated yet acutely observed cinema verite documentary, it's shot in a divorce courtroom in Iran.We witness the process of how the law is explicated and justice served out. The film follows three women of different ages and domestic situations. The real issues for the filmmakers are not only to show the plight of these three women, but to highlight the growing modernity at grass roots level of young Iranian women as they re-interpret strict traditional rules and assert their rights under Islamic laws. The outcome is not always acceptable to them especially where children are involved. But, then, this is sometimes the case for a divorced woman in the West who deserts the marital home.

Longinotto and Mir-Hosseini's film avoids the temptation to be merely sensational, yet does not shy away from controversy and in doing so reveals more than tragedy and oppression, which are the usual observations when woman and Islam are put together.

 

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