TLKoS Will Open the London Film Festival in October
Posted at 8:53 AM (PDT) on Thursday, August 10, 2006

The Times
August 10, 2006

'King Idi' will launch Times BFI 50th festival
By Dalya Alberge, Arts Correspondent

THE Times BFI 50th London Film Festival will open this year with the European premiere of The Last King of Scotland, starring Forest Whitaker as the barbaric Ugandan President Idi Amin, it was announced yesterday.

The title is a reference to Amin’s belief that he was the ideal person to govern Scotland. He felt a particular affinity with the Scots, having been seduced by its history during visits to the country. His obsession extended to wearing a kilt in the stifling African heat.

The film was made by Kevin Macdonald, the director who won an Oscar with the documentary One Day in September, about the terrorist attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics. He said: “It would be an honour to be chosen any year to open The Times BFI London Film Festival but it’s particularly great to be kicking off the 50th edition.

“I’m so pleased to be having the European premiere of The Last King of Scotland in my home city and at a festival where I myself have discovered so many wonderful movies over the years.”

The film, which will be premiered on October 18, also stars James McAvoy and Gillian Anderson. It is based on the award-winning novel by Giles Foden. Shot in Uganda and Britain, the drama follows a twist of fate when a Scottish doctor becomes entangled with Amin.

Up to 500,000 Ugandans were murdered during Amin’s nine-year reignm before he was exiled in 1979. He died in 2003.

Fox Searchlight Pictures will release the film in the UK in January 2007.

For the BBC News article on this, click here.

NOTE: TLKoS will open in the U.S.A. (select theatres) on September 27, 2006.