The highlight of the day had to be the International Premiere of The Thomas Crown Affair, starring Pierce Brosnan and the ever-green Rene Russo. By comparison with last night's more low-key opening film, Ratcatcher, this remake of the Sixties film (which starred Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway), is glamour writ in bold.

A small crowd gathered along the road outside the Odeon to catch a glimpse of the stars of the film, Brosnan and Russo as they arrived in chauffer-driven limo. Other Scottish stars appeared, including actor Robert Carlyle, hulking comedian Robbie Coltrane, author Ian Rankin, Elaine C Smith (Mrs Rab C Nesbitt) and a posse of famous Scottish footballers.

The film itself, made by Pierce Brosnan's production company, Irish DreamTime, looks set to be a commercial, as well as a critical success in this country. Still, asked if there was any trepidation about doing a remake, Brosnan confessed "there was...and there still is".

On to the party, as swellegant an event as one is likely to experience all festival, although I didn't see the alleged incident where Robert Carlyle roughed up Scottish "Daily Record" hack, Rick Fulton. It may also interest you to know that Mr. Fulton was the same person who revealed details of the notoriously publicity shy Carlyle's "secret" wedding.

The Robert Bresson retrospective season kicked off with an impressively full auditorium, but the surprise was an absolutely packed (people were sitting in the aisles) press screening of Run Lola Run -- definitely one to try and see.

A lot of the buzz circulating round the cinemas concerned the treatment of staff at yesterday's Ratcatcher Party. The Cameo staff got a pitiful allocation of tickets and the Odeon refused point blank unless all their staff got passes. Even worse, Film Four (who were sponsoring the bash) didn't let anyone into the venue on staff tickets until after 10.30pm -- conveniently after the free bar closed. Better luck next time.


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