Billy Crystal’s Here Today To Close 2021 Edinburgh Film Festival

Next month the oldest film festival in the world Edinburgh International Film Festival will return for it’s 74th edition. Today the festival has confirmed comedy legend Billy Crystal’s Here Today will close the close the festival.

Crystal stars but also directs for the first time in 20 years, along with producing, co-wrote alongside Tiffany Haddish. With this year’s festival moving back to August, the traditional season of comedy in Edinburgh, the UK Premiere will take place at the city’s Filmhouse  cinema on Wednesday 25th August seeing the festival off with a smile.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis – In this one we follow veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) who forms an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship with New York singer Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish).

Emma – the unlikely recipient of a prize to have lunch with the comedy legend, despite not knowing who he is – gets off to a rocky start with Charlie (think seafood allergy, a hospital visit, and an epi pen). Before long, each finds in the other a sort of soul mate, forging a deep bond that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of friendship, love and trust.

Billy Crystal says: “I’m thrilled that Here Today has been selected to close the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2021. To have an audience sit inside a cinema together and share the experience of this film after these unusual times makes me very happy.”

Nick Varley, Lead Guest Programmer of Edinburgh International Film Festival added: “We are thrilled to be closing this year’s festival with Here Today. Billy Crystal has created a wonderfully charming and touching film about friendship and growing old. The onscreen chemistry between him and Tiffany Haddish is just a joy to watch. Bring your hankies and prepare to shed tears of laughter and sadness”

Here Today will be released in the UK by Sony Pictures Releasing UK, and will be in cinemas on3rd September. Sony Pictures are set to release the Trailer later today, stay tuned for that.

The 74th edition of Edinburgh International Film Festival runs from 18th until 25th August 2021. The full programme will be announced on 28th July, the same tickets from this film and the others go on sale.