David Farnor | On 31, May 2016

Netflix is heading to Scotland this summer to premiere its Sundance acquisitions, Brahman Naman and The Fundamentals of Caring.

Both films, which the streaming giant snapped up at the indie festival earlier this year, will have their European Premieres at the 70th Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The premieres continue Netflix’s strategy of acquiring films to screen on the festival circuit before releasing online. While Amazon recently enjoyed dominating the Cannes line-up with its slate of titles, Netflix is stepping into the summer festival spotlight: its other big Sundance acquisition, Tallulah, screens at Sundance London this week ahead of its release in July.

Set in Bangalore in the 1980s, Brahman Naman follows the exploits of Naman, a quick witted, high school quiz champ who leads his hopelessly nerdy friends on a trip to Calcutta to win a major college prize. Young, smart and full of heart, the trio are determined to win the quiz – and to lose their virginity along the way.

Written by Naman Ramachandran and produced by Steve Barron and Celine Loop, Brahman Naman is directed by leading Indian indie director Q. It will screen as part of EIFF’s World Perspectives strand and will also be in competition at the festival for the festival’s Best International Feature Film award.

Screening on Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st June, it will then be released globally on Netflix on Friday 7th July.

The Fundamentals of Caring, which stars Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts and Selena Gomez, follows the story of Ben, a retired writer who becomes a caregiver after suffering a personal tragedy. After 6 weeks of training, Ben meets his first client, Trevor, a foul-mouthed 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. One paralyzed emotionally, one paralyzed physically, Ben and Trevor take an impromptu road trip to all the places Trevor has become obsessed with while watching the local news, including their holy grail: the World’s Deepest Pit. Along the way, they come to understand the importance of hope and true friendship.

Based on the novel by Jonathan Evison and written, directed and produced by Rob Burnett, the film screens on 16th and 18th June, before being released on Netflix on 24th June.

For more on Brahman Naman, see the trailer here – and for more on the festival, head to www.edfilmfest.org.uk.

In the meantime, here’s a new trailer for The Fundamentals of Caring:

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