Pixar's 'Brave' to Close 2012 Edinburgh International Film Festival

5:41 AM PDT 3/13/2012 by Stuart Kemp

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Set in mythical Scotland, the movie features the voices of Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane and will mark its European premiere at the festival which runs June 20 through July 1.

LONDON – The Disney-Pixar animated Scottish adventure Brave is to bring this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival to a close, organizers said.

Walt Disney, VisitScotland to Unite Overseas to Fire Up Celtic Passions for Launch of 'Brave'

'Brave' Trailer

The movie, featuring a voice cast that reads like a who’s who of Scottish stars including Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson, the Scot who took U.S. citizenship and hosts The Late Late Show in the U.S., has been selected as closing night film for the festival.

The movie’s pick was announced by Scottish first minister Alex Salmond and EIFF artistic director Chris Fujiwara at a tourism conference in Scotland.

The festival runs June 20 through July 1, 2012.

Salmond, the leader of the Scottish Parliament, said he was delighted to announce that “Hollywood will roll into town during the Edinburgh International Film Festival when we host the European premiere of Brave.”

VIDEO: Pixar's 'Brave' Trailer

For his part Fujiwara, making his debut as artistic director with the festival this year, said: “We're delighted to host the premiere of Brave and continue the Festival’s long relationship with Disney.”

He said that though the festival is international, organizers are “mindful that we have a special responsibility to Scotland's cinematic image. It makes perfect sense that this film, which is so strongly tied to the cultural mythology of Scotland and the beauty of the Scottish landscape, and in which Scottish talent has such a significant involvement, should be part of our festival.”

It comes just over a week since The Walt Disney Company Europe, Middle East & Africa struck a wide-ranging marketing campaign pact with VisitScotland, Scotland’s tourism promotional organization as it prepares to roll out Brave internationally (HR 030112).

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman (The Lion King and Prince of Egypt), Brave is produced by Katherine Sarafian and scored by Scottish composer Patrick Doyle.

The film is readying itself for a U.K. rollout in August 2012 and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D in select cinemas.