Edinburgh International Film Festival Debuts 21 Features as Launchpad

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is a big movie event in Scotland where people show new films.

This year, it will show 21 new movies, and 10 of them will compete for a special prize called the Sean Connery Prize.

One movie in the competition is called 'Mission,' and it is about a young man who wants to experience all the highs and lows of life.

The festival's chief, Paul Ridd, says the event is now a real launchpad where new and famous filmmakers can share their work.

Last year, seven of the ten competition movies went on to be shown in cinemas in the UK or the U.S. A movie called 'The Incomer' will open the festival, and one called 'Bel' will close it.

There will also be a special event for 'Trainspotting,' a movie that is 30 years old, with the people who made it talking about it at Leith Theatre.

An actor and director named Kenneth Branagh will get a special award for his work in movies.

The whole festival happens from August 13 to 19.