Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026 celebrates 30 years of the iconic Scottish film with special event screening and club night
- Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026 celebrates 30 years of the iconic Scottish film with special event screening and club night
- A special screening of the film with live commentary from cast and crew will be followed by DJ sets from Irvine Welsh and Darren Emerson at Leith Theatre
- EIFF will run from 13 – 19 August 2026
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), Assembly Festival and Leith Theatre are excited to announce a special 30th anniversary celebration of Danny Boyle’s iconic film Trainspotting with a screening with live commentary from cast and crew followed by a major club night celebrating the iconic soundtrack on Friday 14 August 2026.
Starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Kelly Macdonald, Peter Mullan, Shirley Henderson and James Cosmo, written by Irvine Welsh and John Hodge and produced by Andrew Macdonald, Trainspotting remains an audacious, innovative, era-defining and darkly funny film about addiction and survival in the heart of Leith in the capital of Scotland.
Based on Irvine Welsh’s incendiary Leith-set novel, the film celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and will be marked by a special live commentary screening in the historic Leith Theatre with cast and crew sharing exclusive behind the scenes anecdotes about the making of the film.
This special screening will be followed by a club night with DJ sets from Irvine Welsh and Darren Emerson, whose music as part of Underworld is synonymous with the film and its iconic soundtrack.
Leith Theatre recently signed a 50-year lease and secured funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund following a 20-year campaign to help secure the future of the renowned Grade B listed building.
EIFF’s 79th edition runs from 13 – 19 August 2026.
EIFF CEO and Festival Director, Paul Ridd has said: “Ask anyone about Scotland and cinema and the first things they would likely think of would be Sean Connery and Trainspotting.
“For the past couple of years we have kept the memory and legacy of Connery in Edinburgh alive with our features competition, and now this year we are thrilled to finally honour the most iconic Scottish film ever made in the place where it originated and with a new spin.
“The opportunity to hear directly from the people who made the film followed by the thrill of celebrating that iconic soundtrack together should make for a night for the ages. That we get to do all that in a venue as full of promise and renewal as Leith Theatre is the icing on the cake. We cannot wait!”
Andrew Macdonald, Producer of Trainspotting said: “Hard to believe it, but it has indeed been thirty years since we made Trainspotting, and I am delighted that it is heading back to Leith where the whole story began, to celebrate this big anniversary.
“Big thanks to the teams at Assembly Festival, Leith Theatre and of course Edinburgh International Film Festival for making this all happen.
“It is going to be a very special night.”
Farhana Bhula, Director of Film4 said: “Thirty years after its release, Trainspotting remains one of the defining films of British cinema.
“Film4 is incredibly proud to have been part of bringing this landmark film to the screen, and we’re delighted to join Edinburgh International Film Festival in celebrating its legacy where it all began.
“Returning Trainspotting to Leith for this special anniversary is a fitting tribute to a film that continues to shape the cultural conversation three decades on.”
Lynn Morrison, Chief Executive of Leith Theatre Trust said: “Thirty years on, Trainspotting remains as one of the most influential cultural stories to come out of Leith and continues to resonate with audiences around the world.
“We’re excited to be partnering with Edinburgh International Film Festival to welcome audiences for an evening that brings together film, live commentary, music and some of the people who helped shape one of Scotland’s most iconic films.
“This is an event that showcases the breadth of experiences Leith Theatre can host and highlights the growing role the venue is playing within Edinburgh’s cultural landscape.
“If there was ever a place to celebrate Trainspotting’s legacy, it has to be here.”
Dani Rae, Managing Director of Assembly Festival: “We are delighted to be working alongside the team at EIFF and Leith Theatre to bring Trainspotting back to the heart of Leith for a night to remember.
“Assembly Festival have been producing events in this city for over 40 years and are looking forward to adding to the story of the hallowed halls of such an iconic building, with the scenes of such an iconic moment from the city’s rich cultural history.”
Following the EIFF premiere, Trainspotting will be re-released by Park Circus in UK & Ireland cinemas from 21 August and thereafter internationally. The re-release from Park Circus will also screen as part of Rip it Up, the BFI Film Audience Network’s UK-wide film season that explores and celebrates the changing face of youth rebellion, culture and expression – from joy to heartbreak.
Press and Industry accreditation is now open for this year’s Festival and available to apply for via the EIFF website.
