Moving away from the traditional concept of Film Festivals, the idea that Cousins has developed is the theme of “All That Heaven Allows.”  It may cease to have a competition section or prizes, and will focus more on inviting a team of guest curators to programme their own selection of films or contribute to special themed days within the Festival.  Festival goers will be encouraged to interact with many bold initiatives to bring the city alive, all of which will be revealed later by Cousins and his artistic team.

Explaining the new approach, Miller added; “We live in a very fragmented and competitive space and so it becomes much more important to continually refresh, revitalise and re-invent. I’m both confident and excited with this blueprint that Mark Cousins has shaped, which will deliver a unique and distinctive festival. I am delighted also that James is joining us as the producer and I believe that his years at Shooting People put him in a good position to build on the heritage of Edinburgh International Film Festival as a distinctive cultural force.”