Accolade for NI cinematographer

Seamus McGarvey is a new patron of the Edinburgh International Film Festival

Award-winning cinematographer Seamus McGarvey has been chosen as a patron of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).

The Armagh-born cinematographer will join festival patrons Sean Connery, Tilda Swinton and Robert Carlyle.

He said: "I'm just really honoured to be asked, it's fantastic."

Mr McGarvey has produced a wide variety of work during his career, and was nominated for an Oscar in 2008 for the film Atonement.

He also filmed The War Zone and Enigma, and Stephen Frears' High Fidelity, which raised his Hollywood profile.

Most recently, Mr McGarvey shot The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, based on Alexander McCall Smith's novel and directed by the late Anthony Minghella.

As a cinematographer, Mr McGarvey has to know both the technical and artistic capabilities of the camera used during filming.

On set, he would work closely with the director, ensuring that each frame shot was in line with the script and with the director's personal vision.

Until now, cinematography had not been recognised at the EIFF, however Mr McGarvey said: "The organisers are trying to expand into other areas of film making, showing the technological side of film making.

"It's a rapidly evolving art form and I think that me becoming a patron sort of reflects that."

Whilst continuing to shoot films Mr McGarvey has spent the last few years interviewing fellow cinematographers.

At this year's festival he will interview Anthony Dod Mantle, the Oscar-winning cinematographer of Slumdog Millionaire.

He said: "I am really looking forward to continuing my conversations with cinematographers especially as this year I will be talking to Anthony Dod Mantle, one of the most inventive filmmakers in the world."

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