Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012: Michael Powell Award

For the first time since its inception in 1990, the contenders for the Michael Powell Award include documentaries. It’s probably a long overdue recognition of non-fiction talent in the UK over the last few years and the incredible creativity and diversity of filmmakers’ output. The subjects here are proof of that with films featuring French con-artists, Birmingham gang members and a search for a post-capitalist future all filtered through unique creative visions. Of course, any award dedicated to a master of narrative cinema would be expected to concentrate on storytelling. This year, the nominees also include political thrillers, alienated youth from different ends of the social spectrum, a black comedy about siblings and a seventies skin crawling, mind bending tribute to Italian horror. With what we tend to see at the multiplex, it’s easy to forget just how varied the crop is from British filmmakers, but the Michael Powell Award is the perfect showcase for the cornucopia of creativity in these islands.