Edinburgh International Film Festival

16/06/2026

BFI CEO Ben Roberts will be the keynote speaker at the inaugural UK Film Conference held as part of this year’s EIFF Industry Programme. The event will be hosted by Creative Director of Picturehouse Cinemas, Clare Binns.

Press & Industry Accreditation for EIFF 2026 is now open.
Apply before Tuesday 30 June to take advantage of our Early Bird rates.

Our mission is to be the home of independent cinema in the UK and the inaugural UK Film Conference is part of that mission. Beginning with a lively and wide-ranging headline discussion with Ben Roberts, the one day conference on Saturday 15 August will be a state of the nation for independent film in the UK situated at the heart of the Festival’s Industry offering at the Festival Hub at Central Hall.

Our Industry Programme brings together filmmakers, producers, exhibitors, distributors and film professionals from all areas of the local and international film industry to engage with the future of independent film in the UK.

For more details and to apply for accreditation, visit our website edfilmfest.org/industry

The full EIFF 2026 programme will be announced on 1 July. Save the date 🗓️

Thank you to our supporters Screen Scotland, BFI, and The City of Edinburgh Council.

EIFF will run from 13 - 19 August 2026.

15/06/2026

NFTS Sean Connery Talent Lab Short Films returns to EIFF this August with the World Premieres of six short films.

We have teamed up with the National Film and Television School National Film and Television School and The Sean Connery Foundation to bring you a programme of short films created as part of the NFTS Sean Connery Talent Lab, a transformative talent development programme with a focus on attracting and nurturing outstanding talent.

The six films will World Premiere at EIFF’s prestigious showcase event with an invite list of key industry figures from across Scotland, the UK and beyond.

The participating filmmakers from across Scotland have embarked on a collaborative filmmaking journey, gaining access to a first-class training curriculum, made up of seminars, hands-on workshops and mentorship opportunities. Dedicated guidance from renowned NFTS Heads of Department and prominent industry executives, including BBC Film, also enriched and enhanced the development and post-production process.

The shorts in this year's programme are:

🎬 Bubbles dir. Jagoda Tłok
🎬 Shutterbug dir. Fin Bain
🎬 My Little Blue Heart dir. Iqbal Mohammed
🎬 PANG dir. Lara Delmage
🎬 Saint Anthony dir. Declan Dineen
🎬 The Angel In The House dir. Missy McNaught

The full EIFF 2026 programme will be announced on 1 July. Save the date 🗓️

Thank you to our supporters Screen Scotland, BFI, and The City of Edinburgh Council.

12/06/2026

We are excited to announce the World Premiere of Louise Lockwood’s powerful debut documentary feature Bel as our Closing Night Film at EIFF 2026.

Bel tells the story of Kenyan-Scottish musician, singer and writer Beldina Odenyo who performed under the stage name Heir of the Cursed. After her acclaimed performance at the Scottish Album of the Year Awards in 2021, Bel took her own life, leaving behind raw, intimate video diaries and a hard drive full of original songs of great beauty.

This stirring film chronicles the legacy and talent of a lost Scottish artist, and the journey to release her work posthumously, creating a heartfelt, insightful portrait of a complex, intelligent and profoundly talented young woman.

Edinburgh International Film Festival, the home of independent cinema in the UK, returns for its 79th edition on 13 - 19 August 2026, opening with the International Premiere of Edinburgh-born filmmaker Louis Paxton’s debut feature The Incomer.

The full programme will be announced on 1 July. Tickets on sale 2 July.

Thank you to our supporters Screen Scotland, BFI and The City of Edinburgh Council

20/05/2026

Ahead of the 79th edition of EIFF, our CEO and Festival Director Paul Ridd spoke with Variety about this year’s festival vision and EIFF’s mission to build a 'Home for Independent Cinema.'

The interview offers a glimpse into this year’s programme including our recently announced Opening Night film, The Incomer, the directorial debut from Louis Paxton, starring Domhnall Gleeson which will be coming home to Scotland after premiering at Sundance Film Festival

EIFF's Competition is also touched upon in the interview. This year, for the third year in a row, we’ll be celebrating bold filmmaking talent, awarding the winners a £50,000 feature film prize and £15,000 short film prize.

You can read the full interview over on variety.com - https://shorturl.at/ptlNP

Edinburgh International Film Festival returns this year for its 79th edition, running from 13 - 19 August 2026.

Edinburgh Film Festival director Paul Ridd on the event's third edition since its resurrection in 2024

08/05/2026

We are thrilled to announce the UK Premiere of Louis Paxton’s The Incomer as the Opening Night film of this year’s Festival!

After premiering at Sundance where the film won the NEXT Innovator Award, The Incomer will be coming back home to Scotland for its UK Premiere at EIFF in August.

Starring Domhnall Gleeson (Ex-Machina, The Paper), Gayle Rankin (Glow), Grant O’Rourke (Outlander) and John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral), The Incomer is set on a remote Scottish isle, where adult siblings Isla and Sandy live in complete isolation. In a state of arrested development, the siblings hunt seabirds, talk to mythical beings and ward off Incomers. Their lives change when Daniel, an awkward council worker, arrives to relocate them to the mainland.

A directorial debut from Edinburgh-born filmmaker Louis Paxton, we are thrilled to bring this offbeat comedy to EIFF, where we celebrate new talent and Scottish voices.

Edinburgh International Film Festival returns this year for its 79th edition, running from 13 - 19 August 2026.

The Incomer will be the EIFF Opening Film on 13th August. 🎬

More information on ticket sales for EIFF 2026 will be announced soon.

EIFF is supported by Screen Scotland ✨

With enormous thanks to Universal Pictures UK for supplying the film.

29/04/2026

As submissions for the 79th Edition of Edinburgh International Film Festival have come to a close, we are grateful for all the films entrusted to us for consideration.

We are honoured to witness such a breadth of talent from across the globe.

Thank you for being part of this vibrant community and for helping shape the future of cinema.

23/04/2026

Launched in 2024, the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence comes with a £50,000 cash prize, with the winner decided by an audience vote.

Previous recipients include Abdolreza Kahani (Mortician, 2025) and Jack King (The Ceremony, 2024).

Tomorrow is the last day to submit your work to Edinburgh International Film Festival!

21/04/2026

Three more days to submit your work to Edinburgh International Film Festival!

With millions of people visiting Edinburgh over festival season, including some of the finest cinematic talent on the planet, screening at EIFF is an opportunity like no other. Take a look at our criteria and submit your films.

20/04/2026

CEO & Festival Director Paul Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa were in London this weekend representing Edinburgh International Film Festival at the second edition of Picturehouse Create hosted at Picturehouse Central, participating in a networking brunch with emerging filmmakers, a panel on festivals and a lively pitching session with writers and directors.

Picturehouse Picturehouse Central