The Edinburgh International Film Festival and The Walt Disney Company are delighted to announce today that Disney / Pixar's TOY STORY 3 will have a Special 3D Gala screening at this year's Festival on Saturday 19 June.  The audience in Edinburgh will be the first in the UK to see TOY STORY 3 in 3D after its opening in the United States the previous day.

Attending the red carpet at Cineworld Edinburgh to greet audiences will be the film's exuberant rough-and-tumble cowgirl Jessie and the toys' dependable leader, everyone's favourite cowboy sheriff, Woody.

Continuing to follow the thrilling adventures of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and other familiar faces ten years since we saw them last, TOY STORY 3 also introduces a host of fourteen new characters.  Directed by Lee Unkrich (FINDING NEMO; MONSTERS, INC.), the voice cast for TOY STORY 3 reunites Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and others with TOY STORY newcomers including Timothy Dalton as Mr Pricklepants and Michael Keaton as Ken.

Buzz, Woody and the gang face an uncertain future as Andy gears up for college. When the toys unexpectedly land in a room full of untamed tots who can't wait to get their sticky little fingers on them, it's pandemonium as they try to stay together, ensuring "no toy gets left behind."  In an adventure as big as the others in the TOY STORY series, Disney/Pixar goes to the very heart of friendship and the very special relationship between kids and the toys that they play with.

The exclusive Special 3D Gala will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the TOY STORY trilogy.

The first TOY STORY film, directed by John Lasseter in 1995, was a phenomenal success and set an industry precedent as the first full-length feature film created entirely with CG animation, and when TOY STORY 2 opened five years later, it was the biggest box office hit of the year. This Gala builds on Disney's longstanding relationship with the EIFF that has produced Festival premieres including Disney•Pixar's Academy Award-winningÒ WALL•E and RATATOUILLE in recent years.

Hannah McGill, EIFF Artistic Director said: "I'm excited about Toy Story 3 on so many levels. It's fantastic to continue our relationship with Pixar. It's a great thrill to have a key 3D film in the Festival, and to be able to provide such a treat for our younger audience members. And to have the first screening after it's unveiled in the US is an incredible honour for us. This is going to be one of the highlights of the Festival, and I'm looking forward to working with our friends at Disney to make it truly spectacular!"

Tickets for the Special Gala screening will go on sale from 12 noon on Thursday 3 June at the EIFF Box Office and online at http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/.