Killer Joe to open Edinburgh International Film Festival

Will Matthew McConaughey's hitman be a hit?

by Jennie Kermode

William Friedkin's dark comedy thriller Killer Joe is to open this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival, it was announced today. The film stars Matthew McConaughey as a charming hitman hired by Emile Hirsch's drug dealer, who wants to kill his own mother. Atonement's Juno Temple is the younger sister put up as collateral, who finds herself falling in love.

The film represents a bit of a coup for festival director Chris Fujiwara, who has promised big names and big pictures for this year's event. "I intend to deliver a diverse programme that will spotlight filmmaking of real artistic distinction," he said today. "William Friedkin’s exhilarating, intense, and brilliantly crafted film is absolutely in keeping with this ambition."

Friedkin, in turn, has thanked the festival organisers for daring to select a film that has been censored by US rating authority the MPAA.

Share this with others on...
News

The film that went too far Francisco Martins and Julia Duarte on the 32 year journey of Onda Nova

Finding his voice J Stevens and Breton Lalama on singing, changing voices and Really Happy Someday

Bingo David Siegel and Scott McGehee on Naomi Watts, Bing, Sigrid Nunez and The Friend

Taking the plunge as 'angel and devil' French actor Félix Kysyl on his first lead role in Misericordia

'There is a bit of me in lots of the characters I create' Misericordia director Guiraudie on his tale of the unexpected

Sundance moving to Boulder Festival to leave Utah for Colorado in 2027

More news and features

We're bringing you news, reviews and more from BFI Flare.



We're looking forward to Fantaspoa.



We've recently brought you coverage of the Glasgow Short Film Festival, South by Southwest, the Glasgow Film Festival, the Berlinale, Sundance, Palm Springs, DOC NYC, the French Film Festival UK, Tallinn Black Nights, the Leeds International Film Festival, Abertoir and the London Korean Film Festival.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

More competitions coming soon.