Potential spending is just ‘tip of iceberg’ of what can be achieved, says Scotland Loves Local chief
An extra £26.7m could be driven directly into Edinburgh’s economy if everyone in the city spent just £1-a-week more with local businesses.
The significant financial difference that can be made – safeguarding the future of businesses and protecting jobs – has been highlighted as part of Scotland Loves Local Week, which runs until Saturday (August 30).
The call to think local first is spearheaded by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) – the organisation behind Scotland Loves Local – with support from the Scottish Government.
STP has calculated that, if every person in Scotland were to spend just £1 more per week with local businesses in their area, an additional £282.7m would be generated annually.
STP Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie said: “The reality is that £26.7mm is the tip of the iceberg of what can be achieved in Edinburgh. If £1 more every week can make a transformational impact to the people who make our places, just imagine what is truly possible by choosing local even more.
“Money stays local for longer when you spend with local businesses.The multiplier effect is massive. These businesses spend with other businesses, who employ other local people, who then spend with other local businesses. Every penny spent is an investment in the future of your area.
“The jobs and livelihoods of your neighbours, friends and family depend on you doing so.”
STP champions the critical part that towns and local neighbourhoods play in creating a better Scotland and the need to invest in them.
Scotland Loves Local is the drive for people to build stronger, more sustainable futures for their community by supporting the businesses in their area.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Local spending is vital to the prosperity of our villages, towns and cities. It keeps people in jobs, businesses open and wealth in communities.
“The Scottish Government continues to work closely with Scotland’s Towns Partnership to drive forward the Scotland Loves Local campaign which aims to strengthen communities by putting localism and thriving town centres and high streets at the heart of a green, fair and growing economy.
“To create jobs and boost local economies we are also progressing our Community Wealth Building Bill which would, if passed by MSPs, encourage councils, NHS boards and other public bodies to buy more goods and services from their local businesses.”
Ticket sales up 11% on 2024 including significant rise in first time buyers
Footfall increased by 60% with 25,000 visitors in a single weekend
Library streaming service resounding success with 41 libraries in 12 local authorities tuning in, for free, for over 90 ‘watch parties’
Digital reach saw audiences in 63 countries, ranging from Japan to The Vatican, join online, expanding global audience reach
Female Scottish authors and independent publishers topped the Waterstones bestseller lists, alongside event led hits like Katabasis by R. F. Kuang and Nicola Sturgeon’s memoir, Frankly
New Kids’ Zone gets seal of approval from thousands of young people and families, with Princess the Unicorn, Bunny Vs Monkey, Supertato and Pikachu inspiring future generations of readers
This year’s children’s programme featured multiple sold-out events and a world premiere from Julia Donaldson’s Paper Chase.
Edinburgh International Book Festival has wrapped up a landmark year, celebrating a two-week long ‘Repair’ themed programme of events for all ages and interests, that saw conversations of global significance take place on stage, and connected with existing audiences while welcoming a whole new generation of readers.
The 2025 festival, which hosted over 650 authors and nearly 700 events saw a remarkable 11% increase in ticket sales over the previous year, with record numbers of people enjoying the vibrant atmosphere.
The festival’s new home at EFI proved a major draw with the courtyard welcoming over 25,000 visitors in a single weekend and a whopping 161,889 people in total, an increase of 60% compared to 2024, an unquestionable sign it’s settled into its new, permanent home.
This surge in footfall, combined with a significant rise in first-time bookers, shows the festival’s success in reaching new audiences and capitalising on its new location right at the heart of the Edinburgh Festivals footprint.
This was evident not least in the newly increased and re-targeted YA programme, which proved a resounding success, hitting its mark with readers 30 and under, solidifying the festival’s appeal to the next generation of literary enthusiasts.
Once again, The Front List strand of events, which increased from eleven to fifteen in 2025, were packed out with over 12,000 people turning up in person at McEwan Hall to hear from writers including literary titans Ian McEwan and Maggie O’Farrell, contemporary phenomena Asuko Yuzuki and R F Kuang, political heavyweights Yulia Navalnaya and Nicola Sturgeon, and even the celebrity co-creator of beloved sitcom Gavin and Stacey, Ruth Jones.
This year also marked a cornerstone moment for Scottish independent publishers and female writers. The bestseller list was topped by standout titles from Scottish women including Mairi Kidd’sThe Specimens, and event led titles including Katabasis by R. F. Kuang and Nicola Sturgeon’s Frankly.
Beyond the physical site, the festival’s digital reach expanded dramatically, connecting communities across 12 local authority areas by streaming events, free of charge, into over 40 libraries, which in turn hosted over 90 ‘watch parties’, as part of the newly launched Paper Trails initiative.
In addition, a global audience of almost 19,000 from 63 countries across five continents tuned in for streamed events, proving the festival’s ability to foster conversations that transcend geographical boundaries. And with events available for the rest of the year, and more to be added on an on-demand basis in Autumn, global audiences have lots more coming to enjoy.
This year’s program was defined by timely and important discussions that reflected a public hunger for considered, informed conversations on global issues. Sold-out events like the discussion with prominent Israeli historians Ilan Pappé and Avi Shlaim on the history of Israel and Palestine, a conversation between renowned journalists Lindsey Hilsum and Edward Wong, and several events looking at the impact of AI on literature and the arts more widely, exemplified this trend.
These events drew large audiences and sparked meaningful dialogue on topics of international significance, underlining the festival’s role in generating constructive in person conversations.
The brand new, dedicated Kids’ Zone was also a resounding success, providing a comfortable environment for families to relax and have fun for free, and complementing the children’s programme with unmissable opportunities to meet the Gruffalo, Pikachu and Supertato – and also, for the first time in book festival history, the real-life Princess the Unicorn.
Hosting just some of the sold-out events in the Children and Families programme were Julia Donaldson, who attended with her world premiere of Paper Chase, Cressida Cowellwho hosted a record-breaking back-to-back signing, ensuring hundreds of young people left with a memory that will last a lifetime, and the iconic Michael Rosen.
The festival’s continued growth in both physical attendance and online engagement demonstrates its enduring relevance, and by providing a space for a diverse range of voices and fostering conversations that matter, it continues to thrive and align with its audiences in both its fun-filled programming and its considered approach to conversations of global significance.
Health Secretary Neil Gray has welcomed an increase in the number of newly qualified paramedics joining the Scottish Ambulance Service, with 360 new recruits joining the service since 2023.
New figures show a steep increase in recruitment between 2022-23 and 2023-24, and a total recruitment of 489 since 2020.
The investment in newly qualified paramedics is designed to give the service more resilience, improve capacity and increase the number of patients treated in the community.
A three-year paramedic undergraduate degree programme was launched at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2017 and is now available at five universities across Scotland.
Figures for the last five years, which include graduates from outside Scotland, are:
2020-21 = 24
2021-22 = 58
2022-23 = 47
2023-24 = 179
2024-25 = 181
The number of paramedics currently working in Scotland is 2,156.6 whole time equivalent posts.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Ambulance Service is an absolutely vital part of the health service, so the Scottish Government is working hard to provide it with the staff and resources it needs to continue delivering a high-quality emergency service to people across Scotland.
“Since 2020, we have supported the recruitment of additional staff, with further recruitment already underway this year—bringing workforce levels to a record high.
“Ambulance staff have shown outstanding resilience in the face of sustained pressure, and I want to thank them for their continued dedication and hard work.”
Michael Dickson OBE Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We are delighted to welcome this number of newly qualified paramedics to SAS. This reflects their experience to date, and it also reinforces the important role paramedics can play in the future of NHS Scotland.
“Our continued ambition, supported by Scottish Government, is to grow and develop the SAS workforce, ensuring we continue to deliver the very best patient care by boosting capacity and increasing our resilience in communities across Scotland.”
‘SUCCESS REAFFIRMS EDINBURGH’S PLACE AS THE WORLD’S LEADING FESTIVAL CITY’
The 2025 Edinburgh International Festival programme was received with record enthusiasm this year, as 88% of all the tickets were sold, filling theatres and concert halls to the highest percentage in over a decade. More than half the performances across the programme sold out and the programme received critical acclaim with 81% 4* and 5* reviews.
The most international audience in recent years – from 91 countries – flocked to the International Festival this summer. Drawn by more than 2,000 artists and participants from across 41 countries, audiences experienced the world’s greatest theatre, dance, music and opera, often in unconventional settings.
The Festival was more inclusive and affordable than ever, with its sold-out first-ever dementia-friendly concert, the highest number of discount tickets issued to D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent audience members and record subscriptions to the Festival’s free ‘Access Pass’, and half of all tickets priced at £30 or less.
The 2025 Edinburgh International Festival concluded yesterday after an extraordinary three-week celebration of opera, dance, music and theatre in Scotland’s capital.
The third under the leadership of Festival Director and Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, this year’s Festival was distinguished by a bold programme that both challenged and rewarded audiences. Over 2,000 artists from across 41 nations shared a range of perspectives, taking to stages in unconventional formats and settings across the city.
Over 111,000 audience members attended from 91 countries to enjoy the finest and most exciting performers from across the globe, including 7 world premieres, 8 UK and Scottish premieres, and 2 European premieres.
Kicking off with the world premiere of blockbuster play Make It Happen, which alone was attended by over 22,000 people, other highlights included the eight-hour choral epic The Veil of The Temple; an Australian circus reimagining of opera Orpheus and Eurydice; and Nederlands Dans Theater’s extraordinary Figures in Extinction.
The overall quality of the programme was recognised by audiences and critics alike, with 81% of starred reviews receiving 4 or 5 star ratings from critics and exceptional sales across the programme, with 66 sell out performances, and 88% of the total tickets available were issued.
Maintaining its industry-leading concessions, the International Festival prioritised affordability, with targeted pricing initiatives for those who need it most. Half of all tickets were priced £30 or under, including over 5,000 £10 tickets which were offered across every performance in the programme. In partnership with Tickets for Good, over 1,000 tickets were also donated to NHS staff, charity workers and low-income benefit recipients.
Expanding the Festival’s offering to the broadest possible audience, this year saw the first-ever dementia-friendly concert sell out as well as 18 performances and workshops in healthcare and community settings across the city.
Exceeding 2024 totals, 7,271 free and heavily discounted tickets were issued to D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people and 763 new audience members signed up for the free Access Pass, bringing total membership to a new high of over 2,000.
This year the International Festival also championed youth and emerging talent, creating pathways into transformative cultural experiences. A record-breaking 2,695 tickets were issued to young people from across Scotland to attend performances for free through the Young Musician’s Pass, as well as hundreds of Edinburgh’s secondary school pupils who deepened their engagement with the arts through performances and workshops.
24 Rising Star artists collaborated with International Festival mentors and performers on stage this year, contributing to a cohort of 45 early career classical musicians who have been supported with professional development opportunities since 2023.
In 2025, the Edinburgh Festival Chorus celebrated 60 years as the beating heart of the International Festival. Each year, non-professional singers from across Scotland come together to perform cornerstone works with some of the world’s greatest soloists, conductors and orchestras.
This year, the 160 volunteer chorus members performed for 10,000 attendees in a range of events including the monumental Opening Concert The Veil of the Temple, two performances as part of the London Symphony Orchestra residency, and the Closing Concert, Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
Inspired by their dedication, the 2025 programme offered an open invitation for people from all walks of life to come and sing: The Big Singalong in Princes St Gardens welcomed thousands to join Scottish legend Dougie MacLean in a rousing rendition of Caledonia, and 750 amateur singers enjoyed a full-day workshop taking on highlights from Mendelssohn’s epic Elijah.
Festival Director, Nicola Benedetti said: “This year’s International Festival has been one of extraordinary contrasts, from grandeur and scale to intimacy and informality. Through the theme The Truth We Seek, we were determined to challenge as well as entertain.
“In presenting innovative and risk-taking work we were able to spark debate, dialogue, and a healthy friction that audiences responded to in unprecedented numbers. I’ve seen this year how art can build bridges, change minds and find connection in a world that so desperately needs it.
“This Festival reminded us why we gather, why we create, and why we believe.”
Chief Executive, Francesca Hegyi said: “This year’s International Festival has been a remarkable celebration of ideas, welcoming audiences from across Scotland and 91 other countries.
“Its success reaffirms Edinburgh’s place as the world’s leading Festival City, and the International Festival itself as a global cultural beacon each August.
“Our commitment to accessibility, youth engagement and artistic excellence has never been stronger, from our sell-out first-ever dementia-friendly concert to record-breaking take-up of the Young Musician’s Pass.
“The International Festival is not only a showcase of world-class performance, but also a vital meeting place for cultures, ideas and audiences worldwide. It’s this collection of talent and annual exchange of ideas that sets it apart on the global stage.”
Foysol Choudhury MSP has called on the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) to pause £29 million of proposed cuts to health and social care, warning that the measures would have devastating consequences for vulnerable people across the city.
The EIJB is set to decide on the cuts today. If approved, they could result in:
More than 4,000 people losing community mental health support
£2.2 million of Thrive Edinburgh contracts cancelled
82% of Collective Advocacy at CAPS disappearing by November
Closure of services such as Pilton Community Health Project and Bipolar Edinburgh
Mr Choudhury said: “I recognise that the Board faces huge financial pressures. These are difficult decisions that no one wishes to make. However, the reality is that the EIJB has been forced into this impossible position because of chronic underfunding from the SNP Government.
“These cuts are not just about numbers on a balance sheet. They represent real people losing vital support, families, communities, and some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable being left without the services they rely upon.
“I urge the Board to carefully consider the human impact, not just the balance sheet; and to pause these cuts. Edinburgh deserves sustainable funding, not short-term measures that will cause long-term harm. Services must remain available to users while new approaches are explored.”
A ‘major public consultation’ on the future development of Edinburgh’s tram network opened yesterday (25 August) and will run for 12 weeks.
The Council are seeking the public’s views on the proposed new tram routes from Granton in the north of the city to the Edinburgh BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in the south.
A detailed business case was developed to extend the existing route from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven, which was successfully completed in 2023 and now carries over a million passengers a month.
This consultation will inform the development of a Strategic Business Case (SBC) for the expansion, which will then be presented to the Transport and Environment Committee in 2026.
The proposed new route can be broken down into three main sections:
GRANTON TO THE CITY CENTRE:
From Granton to Ferry Road / Crewe Toll there is a single route. From Ferry Road / Crewe Toll to the following section, two alternative route options are being considered: the Orchard Brae corridor or the Roseburn Path.
For Orchard Brae, the route would head to the west end of Princes Street along Orchard Brae, Queensferry Road (via the Dean Bridge) and Queensferry Street.
It is estimated that this option would cost between £650m – £850m and is forecast to carry around 3.75m passengers per annum by 2042.
For Roseburn Path, the route connects to the existing line west of Haymarket via an old railway line which winds from Ferry Road/Crewe Toll before reaching Craigleith and heading towards the west end and city centre.
This option is estimated to cost between £350m-£480m and is forecast to carry around 4.25m passengers per annum by 2042.
It also examines the potential to install high quality walking, wheeling and cycling alongside the tramline on the Roseburn Path, and look at the potential to protect and enhance the local ecological network.
The entire route is forecast to cost between £2bn-2.9bn, depending on the final options selected, and carry around 38m passengers by 2042.
CITY CENTRE TO BIOQUARTER & ROYAL INFIRMARY
The proposed route would begin at Princes Street on the existing tram infrastructure, allowing bus and rail interchange in the heart of the city centre.
The route would then cross the North Bridge, and run through Nicolson Street, Newington and on to Cameron Toll, then west towards the BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
POTENTIAL EXTENSIONS TO MIDLOTHIAN and EAST LOTHIAN
The city council is working closely with Midlothian and East Lothian Councils and SEStran, the regional transport partnership, regarding potential future mass transit connections beyond the BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary.
This includes exploring a ‘tram-train’ (a light rail vehicle than can operate on tram and rail tracks) concept with Network Rail on the old Edinburgh South Suburban Railway (ESSR).
Other potential options include connections with Musselburgh Railway station and Queen Margaret University (QMU) in East Lothian and to Shawfair with interchange opportunities into Midlothian and the Scottish Borders.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m pleased that we’ve reached this key stage for extending our multi award-winning tram service.
“We need to prepare for the future. Edinburgh is the fastest growing city in Scotland, with more than 60,000 new residents expected over the next 20 years. Whilst this shift is a true sign of our success, it brings real pressure on our communities, and crucially on the city’s transport infrastructure on which we all rely.
“Managing this growth also means tackling the climate, nature and housing emergencies. To meet these significant challenges, we need to look for bold and ambitious solutions and the tram extension is central to this.
“Edinburgh Trams already offers a reliable and fast service, allowing residents and visitors to move around sustainably and efficiently, and with some of the cheapest fares in the country. The broader benefits of cleaner air and emphasis on active travel surrounding the network are equally as important.
“Our overarching vision is to truly link our city for the benefit of all. From our flagship £1.3bn development at Granton Waterfront through to the city centre, our world-famous universities, cultural hubs, brilliant local businesses, new housing developments, hospitals and beyond; our transport network must move with the times.
“The new developments we will see along the tram route will be key to Edinburgh’s prosperity for generations to come.
“I’d encourage everyone to engage with this consultation and help to shape the next chapter in the history of Edinburgh’s transport.”
The full details of all the sections mentioned above can be found in the consultation papers.
Residents can give their views until 17 November online on the Consultation Hub or at in person drop-in sessions. Details of these sessions are also on our Consultation Hub.
The next step, should members agree on the SBC, would be to move to the next stage of development, as set out by Transport Scotland, which is the OBC.
DROP-IN SESSIONS
Drop-in at Blackhall Primary SchoolFrom 2 Sep 2025 at 16:00 to 2 Sep 2025 at 19:00More informationBlackhall Primary School, 83 Craigcrook Road, EH4 3PH Add to my Calendar (.ics)
The second annual Printmakers of Scotland (PoS) Festival, held recently at Stirling University, proved to be a great success with over 1400 visitors attending the two day event.
The festival, organised by the PoS artists’ collective, resulted in the sale of about £50,000 worth of prints and saw 28 prizes and certificates being awarded to many of the 45 participating printmakers.
The event also featured ten different demonstrations of printmaking that offered festival visitors the chance to participate.
Organiser Deb Wing commented: “Our second festival has gone very well with an increase in visitors on last year and outstanding feedback from both visitors and all of the 45 artists who were on show.
“Positive comments from visitors included ‘The range of printmaking styles and techniques is amazing,’ to ‘A beautiful selection of different print styles. It was lovely to meet the artists.’
“Some members of the public benefitted for our Quiet Hour first thing in the morning when there was restricted access for us to welcome visitors who face particular challenges in a crowded event. This reflects Printmakers of Scotland’s ongoing commitment to inclusion in our events.
“We will soon begin the process of planning our third festival in 2026 and can only see the event going from strength to strength.”
With 194 screenings, 34 Industry and panel events, the Festival welcomed over 300 filmmakers, producers and distributors to present their films
A total in person attendance over 16500
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) 2025 draws to a close following a seven-day programme of sold-out premieres, illuminating talks, retrospectives and well-received industry events which continues to build on last year’s successful Festival reboot.
The Festival ran from 14 – 20 August with 43 new feature films, 18 of which were World Premieres including 10 World Premieres competing for TheSean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, this year won by Abdolreza Kahani’s Mortican, and 6 short film programmes including The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence competition, this year won by Joanna Vymeris’s Mother Goose.
The Festival presented special retrospectives including Sacred Bonds, the 6 original James Bond films starring Sean Connery, introduced by members of the Connery family and special guests, and Budd Boetticher’s The Ranown Cycle presented in partnership with Edinburgh Film Guild, alongside 6 special retrospective screenings with introductions from special guests including Andrea Arnold, Kevin Macdonald, Nia DaCosta and David Hayman.
In Conversation events with major film talent took place, with legendary film editor Thelma Schoonmaker discussing Michael Powell, Ken Loach, Paul Laverty and Rebecca O’Brien, Jeremy Thomas and Mark Cousins, Eva Victor and Adele Romanski, Nia DaCosta, Ben Wheatley and Andy Starke, Andrea Arnold, and Kevin Macdonald and Andrew Macdonald, in partnership with BAFTA Scotland. Hosts included Director of BFI Filmmaking Fund Mia Bays, Variety Film Critic Guy Lodge, Director of Edinburgh TV Festival Rowan Woods, Edinburgh Comedy Award Winning Comedian, Actor & Writer Rose Matafeo, 90 Minutes or Less Podcaster Sam Clements and We Are Parable Co-Founder and Creative Director Anthony Andrews.
The Festival kicked off on 14 August with the UK Premiere of Eva Victor’s acclaimed breakout hit Sorry, Baby and presented a selection of compelling new and established voices in cinema including 39 World Premieres and 48 UK Premieres across features and shorts.
The Festival platformed new talent in Scotland with World Premieres of new shortform work from the inaugural NFTS Sean Connery Talent Lab and new Bridging the Gap documentary shorts in partnership with the Scottish Documentary Institute.
Closing the Festival was the World Premiere of Paul Sng’s brilliantly inventive Irvine Welsh documentary Reality Is Not Enough, rounding off a programme with a strong presence for Scotland-based filmmakers and Scottish talent.
The Festival programme showcased new work from filmmakers from 36 countries including Scotland, UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Croatia, France, Turkey, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Iran, Argentina, South Africa and beyond.
EIFF also continued to thrill audiences with its Midnight Madness strand beginning with the World Premiere of Ben Wheatley’s visionary Bulk and ending with Macon Blair’s new take on The Toxic Avenger.
The Festival worked with venue partners including the newly reopened Filmhouse alongside Cameo Cinema, Vue Omni, Monkey Barrel Comedy and a new pop-up cinema at the National Galleries of Scotland’s Hawthornden Theatre in partnership with Assembly Festival, once again placing EIFF at the heart of the Fringe and August’s unparalleled Festival landscape.
Tollcross Central Hall served as the Festival Hub, open throughout the Festival to industry and press delegates for industry panels and networking events, alongside informal meeting and working spaces.
With 194 screenings and 34 Industry and panel events, the Festival saw a total in person admissions at public events of over 16,500. All of which added up to the seven-day celebration of world-class new cinema championing a new generation of UK and international talent and seeing audiences, press and industry engage with the best of Edinburgh’s other arts and cultural Festivals.
The Industry Programme ran across the whole of the Festival and was very well received by attending guests with praise for EIFF championing both the spirit of independent cinema globally and locally and cross-arts conversations. Press and industry delegates experienced a wealth of programming including talks and panels discussing disability inclusion and access within film projects with CODE, OSKA Bright and BFI; a case study on Development to Distribution of The Outrun with BBC Film, StudioCanal, Brock Media,Protagonist and Edinburgh International Book Festival; Crafting Fear Through Games and Film with Screen Burn Interactive and Nia DaCosta; an overview of the animation sector in Scotland with Animation Scotland and Animated Women UK; a Screenwriting in Scotland discussion event in association with Writers Guild of Great Britain with Andrea Gibb, Paul Laverty, Paul Sng and Kelly Macdonald; a panel on How Female Creators Are Using TikTok to Break Into the Exclusive World of Film.
A Scottish/Irish Co-Production Opportunities event was hosted with Enterprise Ireland, Filming in Limerick and Screen Scotland, and Screen Scotland delivered an informative session on the new Talent Builder development project.
Other Networking Brunches and Networking Drinks were delivered in partnership with WFTV, Production Guild of Great Britain, Screen Fringe, BBC Film, Screen Academy Scotland, Animation Scotland, Animated Women UK and Writers Guild of Great Britain.
As part of a new partnership with production company Unified led by BAFTA winning producer Amy Jackson (The Nest, Aftersun) and BAFTA winning producer Lauren Dark (TheFather, Enys Men), the Festival hosted industry talks from Interim Head of Creative at Film4 Farhana Bhula; Oscar-nominated producer David Hinojosa (Past Lives, The Brutalist, EIFF 2025 title After This Death); Oscar-winning producer Adele Romanski (Moonlight, Aftersun); Director of BBC Film Eva Yates; A24’s Rose Garnett, former Director of BBC Film and Film4; Oscar-nominated producer Finola Dwyer (An Education, Brooklyn), BFI Director of Video Games and Certification Anna Mansi and Executive Director of Screen Scotland Isabel Davis.
Every screening and event at the Festival was introduced by a member of the EIFF team, and BSL interpretation was offered at 33 screenings that were presented with HOH Descriptive Subtitles. Audio Description was provided where possible and live captioning was provided at In Conversation events and panels.
The Festival welcomed over 300 filmmakers, producers and distributors to present their films, over 250 industry delegates including buyers, sales agents, commissioners and festival programmers including Eugene Hernandez, Head of Sundance Film Festival & Public Programming, and Jacqueline Lyanga, Co-Director of Film Programming at Berlinale, and over 170 press delegates.
Filmmakers and actors attending the Festival included Thelma Schoonmaker, Ken Loach, Renée Zellweger, Andrea Arnold, Jeremy Thomas, Kevin Macdonald, Andrew Macdonald, Nia DaCosta, David Hayman, Kate Dickie, Paul Laverty, Rebecca O’Brien, Kelly Macdonald, Eva Victor, Ben Wheatley, Eddie Marsan, Burn Gorman, Rose Matafeo, Jane Horrocks, Golda Roshuevel, Paul Andrew Williams, Brenda Blethyn, John McPhail, Andrew Kötting, Simon Rumley, Stacy Martin, Sam Riley, Alexandra Maria Lara, Noah Taylor, Gerard Johnson, Polly Maberly, Julie Pacino, Nadia Fall, Reed Birney, Constantine Costi, Barry Ward, Lorne MacFadyen, Steve Oram, Steven Saltzman, Douglas Mackinnon, Abdolreza Kahani, Gola and many more.
EIFF Director, Paul Ridd has said: “We are extremely proud of all the exceptional films we launched, as well as all the filmmakers, cinematic legends and audiences we welcomed to Edinburgh this past week.
“Our competitions continue to thrive, with buzzy titles provoking, entertaining and moving audiences, and our wider programme of features, shorts, events and talks signal our place in a global film culture that is alive and exciting.
“Putting it all together has been the collaborative work of many organisations, teams and individuals, and we owe them all an immense debt of gratitude. We cannot wait for EIFF 2026.”
Isabel Davis, Executive Director, Screen Scotland has said: “Filmmakers, audiences, and industry have been brought together thanks to a very strong proposition from Paul and the team at EIFF: the world premiere feature and short competitions, extraordinary insight from some of the most exciting filmmakers working today, and opportunities to network across the festival including with the Fringe being some of the highlights.
“With Cameo, the newly re-opened Filmhouse, Vue and the National Gallery all screening films and with Tollcross Central Hall now the recognized industry place to be and events venue, the festival has taken another confident step forward.”
EIFF 2025 is supported by Screen Scotland and the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, and the industry programme is backed by EXPO funding from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland.
Edinburgh International Film Festival ran from Thursday 14 to Wednesday 20 August 2025.
Helmed by Festival Director Paul Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa, the EIFF team aims to create a world-class showcase for independent film and filmmaking talent.
Former Acquisitions Executive Ridd is supported by EIFF Board, including Chair Andrew Macdonald of DNA Films, producer of the iconic Edinburgh-based film Trainspotting; Peter Rice, former Chairman of General Entertainment at Disney and President of 21st Century Fox; and Vice Chair Amy Jackson, producer of award-winning indie, Aftersun; Teresa Moneo, Former Director of UK Film, Netflix; Isla Macgillivray, Partner at Saffrey; and Romana Ramzan, Producer at Screen Burn Interactive.
According to new data, 12 is the age when children in Scotland are given independence, with most parents granting new freedoms, including being responsible for a pet, going to the local shop alone, and having a mobile phone, at this age.
The research, which was conducted amongst UK parents by name label manufacturer My Nametags, found that children in Scotland are granted some freedoms earlier than the rest of the nation.
At 11, children in the country are allowed to walk to school alone but children in the rest of the UK must wait until age 12.
Similarly, children in Scotland are trusted to stay home alone, use the internet without supervision, and have their own bank card by age 12, a year earlier than the national average.
The data also shows differences between families living in a city compared with those in the countryside. Across the UK, children living in the countryside experience freedom a year earlier than those in urban areas, on average. For instance, children in rural areas can play outside alone by age 11, whilst those in cities must wait until age 12.
The research also investigated the impact of mobile phones on modern children’s independence. Whilst 51% of parents in the UK feel more comfortable allowing their children independence outside of the home because they carry a phone, the vast majority of parents are afraid of the risks posed by unsupervised mobile use. In fact, online bullying (80%) and online predators (83%) are now the top risks feared by parents.
Online habits are also the most likely to lead to regret, with personal mobiles and social media access the top freedoms parents wish they had waited longer to allow. This is often due to pressure from other families, with one in six feeling pushed into granting independence earlier than they feel comfortable by other parents.
Yet, despite concerns about the risks involved, 75% of parents aim to give their children independence at the same age or younger than they did when they were a child.
Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at My Nametags, commented: “We support parents as they prepare their children for new milestones, from starting nursery as toddlers, to heading off to secondary school. So, we were interested to find out more about attitudes towards independence amongst UK families.
“The data shows that many parents opt to grant their children more freedom around the time they start secondary school. But, it’s clear this isn’t an easy decision, with families weighing up the risks and benefits, whilst also grappling with external pressures.
“And it’s no surprise, granting a child independence is one of the most challenging aspects of parenthood. But it’s also one of the most rewarding. We hope this research makes parents feel less alone as they embark on this journey, and offers some useful insight to help them make the right decision for their family.”
