Avengers director Joe Russo returns for St Andrews’ international film festival

They are the big names unveiled for the third Sands International Film Festival of St Andrews which runs from April 19-21

Building on its success in 2023, the festival is committed to bringing some of the most creative and innovative people working in the entertainment industries together with audiences to explore the different ways they can tell stories.

Silvestri, whose work includes hit films Back to the Future, Forrest Gump and The Bodyguard, will talk about his career and performance at the University of St Andrews’ Laidlaw Music Centre on Sunday April 21.

There are also special appearances from Zane, whose credits include The Hunger Games franchise, Ocean’s Eleven, and Catch Me if You Can, and record-breaking director Russo, the man behind Avengers: Endgame, and The Gray Man. As the festival founder, Russo is expected to participate in a special conversation and host a mentoring session with local filmmakers.

Russo is a founder of Academy Award-Winning independent studio, AGBO, which is co-sponsoring the festival. He said: “Sands serves as a hub where the convergence of arts, culture, and technology takes place, all within the esteemed backdrop of St Andrews - one of the world's premier universities."

Festival director, Ania Trzebiatowska, brings a wealth of experience from the international film circuit,She said: “We are incredibly proud that our festival can be boutique in scale, but consistently ambitious. It means that we get to showcase impactful work and prompt truly meaningful conversations. Our aim is to lean into the role that artists can play in uniting and inspiring us, as well as reminding us that visual storytelling is one of the greatest tools for creating the well-needed empathy, often lacking in today’s complicated world.”

Sands celebrates the early work of established filmmakers by shining a spotlight on their first and second features, staging unique opportunities for the filmmakers to reflect on this key period in their creative life and creating a platform for different generations of artists to connect and discuss the inspirations and challenges they have encountered. It also aims to provoke discussion about screen cultures, help build filmmaking skills and capacity in Scotland, and create a forum for local and international industry connections.