Edinburgh film festival launches Sean Connery award

Sir Sean Connery is to be honoured with a new Edinburgh International Film Festival award in his name.

The winner of the £50,000 prize, which recognises "feature filmmaking excellence", will be announced at the August event.

The new award is a collaboration between the festival and the Sean Connery Foundation.

Sir Sean's stepson Stephane said the late James Bond star would have "loved" the prize.

A shortlist of 10 world-premiere feature films will be screened at the festival with the winner chosen via an audience vote.

Festival director Paul Ridd said that the Oscar winner had been a "vital patron" of the event.

Mr Ridd added: "He loved Edinburgh and he loved the festival.

"We are thrilled to establish the prize to honour this iconic Scottish star and we are immensely moved by the generosity of the Sean Connery Foundation, an organisation which shares our respect for cinema history and excitement for its future."

Connery died in October 2020, aged 90.

Stephane Connery, chairman of the Sean Connery Foundation, said that the prize would help the charity expand "opportunities for talented young people from Scotland to access rewarding careers in the film industry".

He added: "My only wish is that Sean could join us to award the prize himself; he would have loved it."

Connery's son Jason added that the new award would support "the film festival he so loved, in the hometown he cherished".

The film festival will run from 15-21 August.

In addition to the new prize the event is also launching a a short film competition, which will have a cash prize of £15,000.