Robert Carlyle is swapping the screen for the director’s chair as his new short film three makes its Edinburgh International Film Festival debut this weekend.

The dramatic short, written by Isaac Gryn and Patrick McPherson, premieres at the 79th EIFF on Friday 14 August at 2pm at Cameo, with a second screening on Sunday 16 August at 2pm at Cineworld.

The film follows 24-year-old Matt, played by Gryn, who arrives at the London home of wealthy couple Sarah and Ed, played by Victoria Hamilton and Nicholas Rowe, after accepting an invitation for a sexual encounter.

But what begins as a seemingly straightforward proposition soon becomes something much more complicated.

As the evening unfolds, drinks flow, boundaries begin to blur and the three characters start testing exactly what the others want — and what they’re willing to reveal.

Darkly funny, tense and increasingly unsettling, three explores desire, class and power, with the question of who is really in control constantly hanging in the air.

For Carlyle, who has enjoyed a hugely successful career in front of the camera, the project offered the chance to step behind it.

Speaking about the film, he said he was drawn to the script because it felt “original”, adding that its combination of darkness, humour and tension immediately pulled him in.

With an experienced cast and crew behind it, three promises to be an intriguing addition to this year’s EIFF short film programme — and one that looks set to leave audiences with plenty to talk about once the credits roll.

Catch three at EIFF:

Friday 14 August — 2pm, Cameo
Sunday 16 August — 2pm, Cineworld

If dark humour, psychological tension and stories that keep you guessing are your thing, three is one to keep an eye out for at EIFF this weekend.