McAvoy and Lange set for Glasgow Film Festival

X-Men star James McAvoy and double Oscar winner Jessica Lange will be among the names appearing at this year’s Glasgow Film Festival.

McAvoy will appear at a live in conversation event, looking back on his roles in films such as His Dark Materials and The Last King of Scotland.

The festival, running from 26 February until 9 March, will close with the gala world premiere of Make it to Munich.

It chronicles the epic journey of Scottish footballer Ethan Walker, who cycled from Hampden to Munich after suffering life-threatening injuries in a car accident.

Now in its 21st year, the event will feature 13 world, 67 UK and 12 Scottish premieres from 39 countries.

It will kick off with the world premiere of director John Maclean’s survival thriller, Tornado, which was shot in Scotland and stars Tim Roth, Jack Lowden, Kōki and Takehiro Hira.

The festival will also mark the Scottish premiere of folk horror Harvest, filmed on location in Argyll, as part of the FrightFest strand.

Venues across the city will host special event screenings including Coyote Ugly at the Grand Ole Opry and Muriel’s Wedding and The Craft at Cottiers in the west end.

A themed series of free showings will also take place at the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) each morning.

Two-time Oscar winner Lange will appear for an In Conversation event to discuss her career, which has also seen her win three Emmys, five Golden Globes and a Tony award.

The festival will close on 9 March with the gala world premiere of award-winning Scottish documentary filmmaker Martyn Robertson’s Make it to Munich.

Shot in the build-up to Euro 2024, it follows Aberdeenshire footballer Ethan Walker who, just months into a football scholarship in the US, was seriously injured after being hit by a car in New York.

He suffered bleeding in the brain and multiple broken bones before making a “miracle” recovery with the help of Glasgow surgeon Prof Gordon Mackay.

The film charts Ethan’s bid to cycle from Hampden to Munich for Scotland’s opening match against Germany – nine months after his accident.

GFF 2025 will also host a special world premiere screening of the first episode of thriller Fear, shot in the city’s west end.

It will be released later this year and stars Martin Compston, Solly Macleod and James Cosmo.

Unveiling the festival programme, organisers said audiences can also expect the UK premiere of The Return, an adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey, featuring Ralph Fiennes and Juliet Binoche.

GFF is run by Glasgow Film, a charity which also runs the GFT.

The festival is supported by Screen Scotland and the BFI audience projects fund, both awarding National Lottery funding, Glasgow Life and EventScotland.

Glasgow Film CEO and director of the film festival Allison Gardner, helming her final festival, said the festival would have “something for everyone”.

“I shall be sad that this is my last festival as I’ve had so many magical moments over the years, but I know the great work we have done will ensure that audiences, filmmakers and industry colleagues will continue to support what I consider to be the best film festival in the world.”