Edinburgh International Film Festival

Edinburgh International Film Festival made a welcome return in 2024, with a week-long hand-picked programme celebrating the work of talented local and global filmmakers.

The 2025 festival takes place in August.

About the Edinburgh International Film Festival

Provoking and exciting, whilst exploring new concepts and innovative approaches in cinema, the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) features short films, experimental cinema and documentary films across a range of dynamic genres.

Bringing together locals and international film lovers, a major attraction of the Film Festival is the variety of notable film premieres hosted in the city. Past UK premieres include Blade Runner, Alien, Back to the Future, Taxi Driver, Annie Hall, Withnail & I, The Usual Suspects, Amelie and The Hurt Locker.

History of the Edinburgh International Film Festival

Beginning in 1947, the same year as the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world’s longest continually running film festival.

Championing emerging British talent throughout its history, it has presented world premieres of influential films by Bill Forsyth, Danny Boyle and Stephen Frears, amongst others.

It was in 1972 that it first included the Women’s Film Festival, exclusively for female directors. Lynda Myles, Festival Director from 1973 to 1980, was the first woman to occupy such a role at any worldwide film festival.

Famous faces

Over the years, EIFF has welcomed a huge number of internationally well-known guests including Gene Kelly, Jacques Tati, Jennifer Lawrence, Elijah Wood, Tilda Swinton, Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Sigourney Weaver, Greta Gerwig, David Cronenberg, Cate Blanchett, Karen Gillan, Clint Eastwood and Sir Sean Connery.

Innovative cinema

Edinburgh International Film Festival is world renowned for discovering and promoting the very best in international cinema – and for heralding and debating changes in global filmmaking. Intimate in its scale, ambitious in its scope, and fuelled by pure passion for cinema in all its manifestations, EIFF strives to shine a light on the most exciting and innovative new film talent.

Focusing on artistic quality and excellence, the festival explores new ideas in cinema, inviting local and international audiences to engage with a dynamic programme of features, documentaries, shorts and experimental cinema.

Film goers are able to experience new work from filmmakers from across the world, with screenings shown at a variety of venues in the city, including Cameo Cinema, Summerhall and Tollcross Central Hall. A number of performances are available as audio described and subtitled screenings.

Find out more on Edinburgh International Film Festival.