Firefly

THE Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has arranged two extra screenings of Serenity, the feature-film directorial debut of Joss Whedon, creator of the cult TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, following the “extraordinary” demand for its world premiere.

The Oscar and Emmy- nominated Whedon wrote and directed Serenity, which is the big-screen incarnation of his TV series Firefly.

The action thriller, set 500 years in the future, will now have two additional screenings, arranged by the festival and the film’s distributor, Uni ted International Pictures.

The film is not due to make its US theatrical debut until September 30, and will open at cinemas in the UK and Ireland on October 7.

EIFF artistic director Shane Danielsen, who has described Whedon as more influential in TV sci-fi and fantasy than anybody since Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, said: “When we get such a clear signal from the fans that they’re so passionate about a particular film, we’re more than happy, wherever we can, to make additional screen ings possible.”

Serenity will receive its official gala premiere screening on Monday, August 22, to be followed on August 23 by a Reel Life interview with the writer and director.

The first extra screening will be a matinee on August 23. The second will be part of the Festival’s Best of the Fest line-up on August 28. Tickets will not be available until tomorrow, July 18. Full details of ticket availability will be posted shortly on the EIFF website.

The programme for this year’s EIFF is being distributed with today’s Sunday Herald. The event, which was launched in 1947 as part of of the Edinburgh International Festival, is now the longest continuously running film festival in the world.