The Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012 got off to a strong start with a red carpet premiere for Killer Joe at the Festival Theatre.
In the short EIFF video from last night, director William Friedkin (famed for The Exorcist and The French Connection), and actress Gina Gershon talk about what audiences can expect to see.
"Ah, it's a doozy!" jokes Gershon, who says it's so dark that she likes to call it a "black hole comedy".
"It's not about the story itself," says Friedkin. "It's really about good, evil, sin, redemption, vengence - all of those things that you can find in the New Testament. But it's a comedy."
The EIFF, under new artistic director Chris Fujiwara, is looking to renew its reputation after a poorly received festival last year. Cinephiles have generally welcomed Fujiwara's bold programme which includes many more films than last year and many unknown films.
There was disappointment when Robert Carlyle cancelled his In Person event on Tuesday due to illness, the third In Person guest to cancel before the festival kicked off. Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto and Russian documentary-maker Victor Kossakovsky have also cancelled.
On the plus side, the EIFF announced two new In Person events with much-loved actors Jim Broadbent and Eliott Gould. They were at the red carpet event last night along with Brian Cox, Kate Dickie, and Rebus author Ian Rankin.
Following the screening, guests at the black tie gala went to the party in the Great Hall at the recently renovated National Museum of Scotland.