Tag: Edinburgh Filmhouse

UK Government saves six vital community spaces from closure in Scotland

Six vital community assets in Scotland have been saved from closure, thanks to £3.8m announced by the UK Government yesterday.

This investment from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Community Ownership Fund will ensure these beloved establishments are protected, ensuring they will be around for generations to come.  

This funding will maintain more community spaces for people to enjoy, helping to bolster local economies as well as contributing to the government’s wider mission to grow the economy.

Across the United Kingdom, the Department announced £33.5m yesterday to save more than 80 projects in our communities.  

Projects receiving funding in Scotland include:  

Crookfur House: 

A revival of facilities in a supported living estate in East Renfrewshire to create a fit for purpose and needs led community hub. Thanks to this government cash boost, this group will be able to reap the rewards of a new café, community spaces and support staff offices.

Filmhouse: 

Reopening of a new and improved cinema in Edinburgh that will be sustainable for generations to come. The venue will screen films that would not otherwise be accessible as well as host up and coming film festivals to be enjoyed by local people and visitors. 

Penicuik Youth Hub: 

Transforming this community centre in Midlothian into a ‘Youth Hub for excellence’, providing dedicated spaces for young people to have more sporting and performing arts opportunities in their local area. 

Castlemilk Community Football Trust: 

New money to create high-quality sporting facilities in Glasgow with the aim to increase community engagement in football and other grassroots sports. They will also provide fitness classes and community social events and activities.    

Jacob Young, Minister for Levelling Up, said:  “We know how much these vital community assets mean to people across the country.

“They are an important lifeline for people young and old, and they’re the beating heart of our towns, cities and villages. That’s why we’re stepping in to protect them with a major rescue package, so we stop these great establishments closing or being lost forever and ensure that they continue to sit at the heart of our beloved communities.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland Donald Cameron – Lord Cameron of Locheil – said: “Congratulations to the six Scottish projects receiving more than £3.8m in the latest round of the UK Government’s local asset saving Community Ownership Fund.  

“It was a pleasure to visit Filmhouse, Edinburgh, and see first-hand just how much it meant for them to be awarded £1.54 million to help re-open this much cherished venue. 

“The other winners – Macaulay College in the Western Isles, Castlemilk Community Football Trust in Glasgow and community centres in Penicuik, Kilmarnock and Newton Mearns – means that 47 community assets right across Scotland are sharing almost £17 million from the fund. 

“I encourage community groups across Scotland to see if they might be eligible to apply for the next and final round. Overall the UK Government is now investing more than £3 billion into levelling up across Scotland.”

Among the projects receiving funding is the Edinburgh Filmhouse which opened in 1979 but became run down over time and had to close in 2022.

It will now receive £1.5million so that it can open its doors again, and the newly refurbished venue will screen the best new films from across the globe. 

Ginnie Atkinson, Director, Filmhouse, Edinburgh said: “We are delighted that our bid for UK Government Community Ownership Fund investment has been successful.

“Many have dreamed of Filmhouse re-opening and this will make it possible not just to re-open but to create a fully refurbished cinema venue that meets modern audience expectations. It will also allow us to add a small, multi-use, fourth screen which will help optimise the diverse cultural programme of films and be available for education activities.”

Previous beneficiaries of the scheme in Scotland include:    

Bailliefields Community Hub SCIO, Graham Thomson, Trustee said: “Receipt of the COF award was a significant milestone in the Phase 2 redevelopment of Bailliefields Community Hub.

“The award has allowed us to progress our project and appoint a building contractor. The contractor has commenced on site in early March 2024 with the project scheduled for completion by end of July 2024. 

“Once completed then the building will provide a warm, welcoming and vibrant community space for various groups in our area including our dementia group, disability group, local schools and a local children’s nursery. This will be an interesting repurposing of an existing building.£

Gordon Rural Action’s Laura McNeil, funding and retail support, said: “The Community Ownership Fund, along with The MacRobert Trust, has allowed us to complete the purchase of the building housing our Bike Recycling project.

“The purchase will allow us to secure the future of the building, ensuring we can continue to stop bikes reaching landfill, help people access bikes and opportunities to exercise, while teaching people new skills and offering employment and volunteering options. 

“The project employs 5 people, 2 of which are young people who we have employed in a traineeship to give them positive future outcomes. Last year we had 360 bikes donated and put 200 bikes back into the community.”

This is the third announcement of funding from the third round of the Community Ownership Fund, bringing the total spending from the pot to more than £103m with 333 projects rescued so far. 

Scottish projects in this round will be supported with £3.8 million of funding, with a further £2.8 million for Northern Ireland and £3.1 million for Wales. So far, the Community Ownership Fund has awarded a total £17 million for 47 projects in Scotland; £8.1 million for 31 projects in Northern Ireland and over £7 million for 24 projects in Wales. 

Since Round 1 of the Fund, Ministers have funded all bids which have passed the criteria for successful applications. This approach allows the Department to fund the maximum number of projects. In future windows ministers may choose to prioritise funding to underrepresented areas to help even out any regional imbalances.

The next round of the Community Ownership Fund, Round 4, is the final round. There will be two bidding windows in Round 4 to allocate remaining funding. The next bidding window, Round 4 Window 1, will open on 25 March 2024 and close on 10 April 2024.

£1.5 million Levelling Up funding for Edinburgh Filmhouse

Community assets including pubs, music venues and sports clubs saved from closure thanks to a major £33.5million package announced by the Government

 More than 80 community assets including pubs, iconic music venues and sports clubs have been saved from closure thanks to a major £33.5million package announced by the Government today – and among the recipients is Edinburgh’s Filmhouse Cinema.

This investment from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’  Community Ownership Fund – the highest amount ever announced from the pot – will ensure these beloved establishments are protected, ensuring they will be around for generations to come.

This funding will maintain more community spaces for people to enjoy, helping to bolster local economies as well as contributing to the government’s wider mission to grow the economy. 

Nineteen sports facilities are being given a lifeline in this round, with £6.7million keeping football clubs and swimming pools afloat so that local people can continue to keep fit and healthy.

That includes £300,000 to reopen the Mirion Street Centre in Crewe, which burned down in a devastating fire in 2014. The funding will allow a local boxing club to redevelop the building so they can move into it, offering fantastic new opportunities to local people and allowing the group to move out of the run-down warehouse they currently use.  

Two cinemas will also now be kept open, including the Edinburgh Filmhouse which opened in 1979 but became run down over time and had to close in 2022. It will now receive £1.5million so that it can open its doors again, and the newly refurbished venue will screen the best new films from across the globe.  

Culture and Communities Convener, Val Walker gives her reaction to the UK Government committing £1.5m to Filmhouse Edinburgh Ltd as part of their Community Ownership Levelling Up Fund. 

Following the collapse of Edinburgh Filmhouse’s parent charity, the Centre for Moving Image (CMI), in October 2022, the Council has been working closely with key stakeholders to secure a future for cultural cinema in the Capital.

Last November the Council announced it would be contributing £60,000 towards the Filmhouse campaign. 

Culture and Communities Convener, Val Walker said: “I’m delighted to hear that Filmhouse Edinburgh Ltd is to receive significant funding from the UK Government as part of their Community Ownership Levelling Up Fund. We all want to see a positive outcome for the Filmhouse and this is a significant step along that road.

“Alongside the wider stakeholder group, we look forward to our continued dialogue and working alongside the Filmhouse. We’re committed to having a home for cultural cinema in the heart of the city and for the wider sector going forward. Edinburgh is rightly one of the world’s the great cultural cities and cultural cinema is an integral part of this landscape.”

Nine pubs have also been given almost £3million to keep them open so that they can keep pulling pints, including the Shrewsbury Arms in Kingstone, which has been in need of vital investment to keep it running. Now, with £178,000 from the Fund, the roof can be replaced and the pub can once again become the centre of community life.   

A further £1.9million will be spent on keeping four music venues open so that local people have access to live music on their doorstep. That includes £250,000 for Le Pub in Newport, which has sat proudly at the centre of the city’s music scene for 28 years. The venue hosts over 300 events a year but has been at risk of being sold, and this funding will ensure that it is protected for future generations to enjoy.  

This is the third round of the Community Ownership Fund, bringing the total spending from the pot to more than £103 million with 333 projects rescued so far as part of the government’s ongoing mission to level up towns, villages and cities across the UK.  

Jacob Young, Minister for Levelling Up, said: “We know how much these vital community assets mean to people across the country. They are an important lifeline for people young and old, and they’re the beating heart of our towns, cities and villages.  

“That’s why we’re stepping in to protect them with a major rescue package, so we stop these great establishments closing or being lost forever and ensure that they continue to sit at the heart of our beloved communities.”

In total this latest announcement of funding also includes: 

  • 33 community centres receiving £12.7million, so that they can continue to serve their communities;
  • Three theatres receiving £1.5million so they can keep putting on exciting local events;
  • Five community shops receiving £1.38 million to protect our high streets;
  • Nineteen sports facilities being given £6.7million so people have a place to play sport and exercise;
  • Nine pubs being given almost £3million so they can keep their doors open.

Other projects previously saved include rugby union club Blackheath FC in London – the oldest independent rugby club – which was given £725,000 in the second round of the Fund. This will allow them to buy their ground and facilities for the first time in their 165-year history.  

James Fleming, chairman of Blackheath Football Club, said: “The purchase will secure the ownership of the ground in perpetuity for the community of Blackheath Football and for future generations.  

“It is a momentous moment in the history of the Club and for the local community.”

Back on the Map in Sunderland were also given £168,000 in the second round to give residents the chance to create work on their local high street. 

Jo Cooper, CEO of Back on the Map, said:  “We believe this project and the wider high street revolution work will put Villette Road back on the map. Without COF funding these units would never have been brought back into use.  

“The funds have been vital and the project will be transformational for our community, creating jobs and stimulating footfall on a neglected high street.”

Scottish projects in this round will be supported with £3.8million of funding, with a further £2.8million for Northern Ireland and £3.1million for Wales.

So far, the Community Ownership Fund has awarded a total £17million for 47 projects in Scotland; £8.1million for 31 projects in Northern Ireland and over £7million for 24 projects in Wales. 

Since Round 1 of the Fund, Ministers have funded all bids which have passed the criteria for successful applications. This approach allows the Department to fund the maximum number of projects. In future windows ministers may choose to prioritise funding to underrepresented areas to help even out any regional imbalances. 

The Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young visited two Community Ownership Fund projects in Cumbria to mark the launch.

The Minister visited Cooke’s Studios in Barrow-on-Furness which has been awarded £910,000 from the Fund today (23 March).

The Minister heard how this investment will be used to carry out essential renovations so that it can become Barrow’s flagship community-led arts centre, which will deliver a range of community services like art exhibitions and a community cinema. 

Signal Film and Media Co-Director Kerry Kolbe said:  “We’re thrilled to have secured such a substantial investment to our project in Barrow, to fund this exciting and long-hoped-for transformation of our community building.

“Having a whole new ground floor entrance, reception and cafe alongside new and improved exhibition, training and workshop spaces will make Cooke’s Studios accessible to so many more people as well as making an even bigger difference to the thousands of residents who already use Cooke’s Studios each year.  

“The new facilities will make our business model sustainable long-term and support the growth of an even stronger creative and heritage offer that we hope Barrow can be proud of.

“We’re very grateful to the Department of Levelling Up for their funding and can’t wait to get started!”

The Minister also visited the Roxy Cinema in Ulverston on Thursday, where he saw how £300,000 funding announced in an earlier round of the Fund is being used to renovate and restore the historic building.

The funding is preserving it for future generations and making it more accessible to the local community. He also met with the Roxy Collective, the local group responsible for the building.  

The next round of the Community Ownership Fund, Round 4, is the final round. There will be two bidding windows in Round 4 to allocate remaining funding. The next bidding window, Round 4 Window 1, will open on 25 March 2024 and close on 10 April 2024. 

Edinburgh Filmhouse calls in adminstrators

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CEASES TRADING

The trustees of Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), the parent charity which runs Filmhouse Cinema and Café Bar in Edinburgh, Edinburgh International Film Festival and Belmont Filmhouse in Aberdeen, have appointed Tom MacLennan and Chad Griffin of FRP Advisory as Joint Administrators.

The charity is facing the perfect storm of sharply rising costs, in particular energy costs, alongside reduced trade due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. The combination and scale of these challenges is unprecedented and means that there was no option but to take immediate action.

Filmhouse Cinema and Café Bar in Edinburgh, Edinburgh International Film Festival and Belmont Filmhouse will all cease trading immediately and FRP Advisory have been appointed Administrators to all entities in the Group.

The Administrators will work with Creative Scotland, City of Edinburgh Council and Aberdeen City Council in assessing what options there are for the future of the individual elements of the charity’s work and supporting staff through the process.

The board of the CMI has issued the following statement:

“We have been proud to have led the CMI through incredibly challenging times, and in particular during the worst days of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the combination of sharply increasing energy and other costs, together with both the lasting impacts of the pandemic and the rapidly emerging cost of living crisis affecting cinema attendances, means that we have had no other option but to appoint administrators at this time.

“We would like to put on record our immense gratitude to the entire staff team whose passion for film as an artform and for the audiences and communities we work with and serve has remained undented by the challenges of recent years. We’re fully aware that this will be an exceptionally stressful time for them.”

Leith charity partners with The Filmhouse to eliminate electronic waste across Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Remakery is joining forces with Filmhouse in the fight to eliminate electronic waste across the city.

The two well-loved Edinburgh establishments are working together to provide a simple and convenient way for members of the public to pass on their old IT equipment using a uniquely designed Donation Box.

With COP26 being hosted in Glasgow and with Edinburgh’s ambitious net zero targets, all eyes are on Scotland to take the lead in implementing infrastructural changes to tackle the climate emergency.

More and more Edinburgh-based organisations are taking significant steps not only to reduce their own business carbon emissions, but to make it easier for their patrons and team members to make positive changes.

The Edinburgh Remakery, a social enterprise based in Leith which specialises in waste reduction through repair and reuse, has been taking in end-of-life IT equipment since its origins in 2016.

This partnership with Edinburgh Filmhouse, which is based on Lothian Road, will make it easier for members of the public outwith Leith to drop-off their old electronics for reuse. With Filmhouse being once again open to the public and showing regular film screenings, the cinema is perfectly placed to hold one of the Edinburgh Remakery’s Donation Boxes.

These Donation Boxes have been designed specifically for people to drop in old electronic devices – including laptops, smart phones, and tablets – whilst preventing them from being damaged in the process to ensure as many devices as possible can be repaired and reused. The Donation Box will be conveniently placed in Filmhouse foyer for members of the public to use.

Elaine Brown, CEO of The Edinburgh Remakery said: “Electronics have become somewhat of a disposable commodity in our society, to the point where many of us have old devices lying around that we just don’t know what to do with.

“Electronic waste is also incredibly damaging to the environment, and people can be concerned about the security of their personal data, therefore disposing of old devices safely becomes very problematic. Our donation boxes give people an easy and secure way to pass on their old devices for reuse.

“Not only is it a win for the environment, but it’s also a win for the community as a portion of the donated devices, once repaired, will be gifted to families and individuals across the city who are suffering from digital poverty, social isolation and financial hardship.

“A portion will also be used to train members of our community in valuable IT repair skills, targeting primarily those further from the job market to boost valuable employability skills as well as confidence. Tackling waste and social inequalities in one – a win for people and planet.”

Rehan Yousuf, Community Engagement Manager at Filmhouse said: “Edinburgh Filmhouse is delighted to be in partnership with the Edinburgh Remakery as their first partner in the repurposing project.   

“The pandemic has heightened digital poverty, with many people from disadvantaged communities being left behind. We’re aiming to target the challenges of digital exclusion for older people and will be working in tandem with community groups dedicated to overcoming this. 

“Whether it’s an old laptop, tablet or mobile lying in a drawer at home somewhere, people can hand it to Filmhouse via the donation box at our Box Office. The devices will then be repurposed by the Edinburgh Remakery, then distributed by the Edinburgh Filmhouse. Members of the public who donate their devices will receive a free cinema ticket. 

“With many people receiving new devices for the Christmas season, there’s never been a better time to hand in those that are no longer needed. We’ll put them to very good use!”

Not only will this partnership have a significant positive impact on the environment by reducing electronic waste – the fastest growing waste stream in the UK, and one of the most polluting – but it also benefits the wider community in tackling digital inequalities.

The Edinburgh Remakery has committed to use 25% of the reusable devices that are donated to them in this way to benefit the community, gifting them to disadvantaged individuals are families across Edinburgh who are experiencing financial hardship and need assistance to get online and access essential support services.

To ensure security, The Edinburgh Remakery technicians use a US Government Department of Defence approved algorithm to securely wipe any data from donated equipment to ensure all data is destroyed and is non-retrievable, giving added peace of mind to donors.

The project will be launched in conjunction with the EIFF Youth Eco-Weekender event at Edinburgh Filmhouse. The EIFF Youth Eco Weekender takes place over Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th November and explores the climate crisis on film. 

Featuring a selection of curated short films from the Film Access Scotland’s Climate Challenge: 1.5 Degrees Films project, there’s a captioned screening of the classic eco-film The Day After Tomorrow with a BSL-supported introduction from EIFF Young Critics on Saturday. 

While on Sunday, a captioned screening of the Gerard Butler action thriller Geostorm will be introduced by EIFF Young Climate Activists and features a Q&A afterwards. Both of which will be BSL-supported. All screenings are priced at £2 to ensure ticket prices aren’t a barrier for attendance to make it as inclusive as possible. 

Tickets are available from www.filmhousecinema.com, or can be picked up in person. Alternatives include calling Box Office on 0131 228 2688. 

EIFF Youth is funded through the PLACE Programme, a partnership between the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland, the City of Edinburgh Council and the Edinburgh Festivals. 

EIFF Young Activists is supported by the Hugh Fraser Foundation. 

The EIFF Young Critics programme is supported by James and Morag Anderson. 

Scottish Premiere of Mark Cousins’ new film The Story of Looking at Edinburgh Filmhouse

Sunday 29 August also marks the launch of the ultimate Mark Cousins collection on Filmhouse @ Home

  • Edinburgh Filmhouse hosts a special screening of Mark Cousins’ latest film The Story of Looking on Sunday 29 August at 7.30pm, followed by an in-person Q&A with director Mark Cousins.
  • The Story of Looking is being released UK-wide on Friday 17 Sept by Modern Films.
  • Scottish premiere of The Story of Looking at Filmhouse on Sunday 29 August marks the launch of the ultimate Mark Cousins collection on Filmhouse @ Home

Described by Variety as “An uplifting meditation on the power of looking”, Mark Cousins explores the role that visual experience plays in our individual and collective lives as he prepares for surgery to restore his vision.

In a deeply personal meditation on the power of looking in his own life, he guides us through the riches of the visible world, a kaleidoscope of extraordinary imagery across cultures and eras.

At a time when we are more assailed by images than ever, he reveals how looking makes us who we are, lying at the heart of the human experience, empathy, discovery and thought. He shares the pleasure and pain of seeing the world, in all its complexity and contradiction, with eyes wide open.

As the Covid-19 pandemic brings another dramatic shift of perspective, he reaches out to the other lookers for their vision from lockdown, and travels to the future to consider how his looking life will continue to develop until the very end. 

“A rich cinematic journey into the art of seeing and how it connects us with culture, ourselves and each other” Time Out

https://www.filmhousecinema.com/showing/story-looking

The ultimate Mark Cousins collection on Filmhouse @ Home includes 13 films:

The First Movie (w/d/dp, 81 m, 2009)

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (w/d/dp, 930 m, 2011)

What is this Film Called Love? (w/d/dp, 75 m, 2012) a personal film about Mexico City and Sergei Eisenstein

Here be Dragons (w/d/dp 76 mins, 2013) About Albania 

A Story of Children and Film (w/d/dp, 101 m, 2013)

Life May Be (co-w/co-d/co-dp with Mania Akbari, 80 m, 2014) Cine-letters

6 Desires: DH Lawrence and Sardinia (w/d/dp, 83 m, 2014)

I am Belfast (w/d/co-dp, 86 m, 2015) A city film, co-shot by Christopher Doyle 

Atomic (d, 72 mins, 2015) A montage film, with a new score by Mogwai

Stockholm My Love (w/d, co-dp 2016) City musical, with Neneh Cherry

The Eyes of Orson Welles (w/d/dp, 100 mins, 2018)

Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (w/d 15 hrs, 2020)

The Story of Looking (w/d/dp, 87 mins, 2021)

Mark Cousins said: “For 36 years, Filmhouse has been my local cinema, my education, my escape and consolation, so I LOVE the idea that it will host my movies on Filmhouse at Home. 

“I’ve been a passionate filmmaker for three decades.  Many of my films have been influenced by what I’ve seen in Filmhouse.  Now, for the first time, many of them are in one place.  I’m humbled, as are my many collaborators – editor, producers, sound designers, composers and graphics artists – in Edinburgh, Scotland and further afield.  Thank you from all of us.”

Rod White, Head of Programming at Filmhouse said: “What a twin pleasure it is to have Mark with us once again in person to discuss his latest film, The Story of Looking, ahead of its national release, AND be instrumental in bringing together all his feature film work to date in the one place – that being our streaming site Filmhouse @ Home – for new audiences to enjoy.

“We’re especially pleased and proud to be able to support a filmmaker who’s been such a strong supporter of Filmhouse over the years.”

The Story of Looking is supported by the National Lottery via Creative Scotland.

SENIOR SELECTIONS at HOME launches on Filmhouse at Home

Edinburgh Filmhouse has announced exciting plans to expand its popular online programme of screenings for over 60s. 

Back in February, they began a pilot programme called Senior Selections at Home, where people were invited to get together on Zoom to discuss a film they had all watched on BBC iPlayer. 

Since then Filmhouse has developed its very own online movie platform, called Filmhouse at Home –  and this will let the team of senior volunteers handpick the films to show for future Senior Selections at Home events.

The first season includes Minari, Breathless, Bait and starts with a screening of The Rider, by Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao. As part of its ongoing commitment to access, all films chosen for Senior Selections at Home will have captions available and attendees will receive a discount code to access the film, making the whole event FREE to access.

The Filmhouse team will also be offering some simple digital training in how to participate in Senior Selections at Home, so that everyone who wants to join can have a chance to do so.

Yvonne Gordon, Head of Community Engagement and Learning at Filmhouse said: “I am really proud to launch Senior Selections at Home on Filmhouse at Home. We have all missed welcoming our older audience members to the cinema and were delighted to see so many of them engage with us when we trialled online events earlier in the year. 

“We also attracted newcomers, who hadn’t been to any of our cinema based sessions.  I am very keen to continue to offer a service to this online community and recognise that not everyone is able to come to us – so we can come to them! 

“Now we’ve all got used to Zoom, break out rooms, chat boxes and watching films from home, we hope to continue to build our online audience for Senior Selections at Home. 

“I am confident that using Filmhouse at Home will let us share films that are full of surprise and delight – and give us plenty to talk about after the movie, over our favourite beverage!

“I am grateful to our supporters and funders who allow us to offer this programme for free. Access is at the heart of all we do and Senior Selections is an excellent example of this.”

Senior Selections at Home is free to attend, but places are limited so booking is essential to avoid disappointment.

Sign up links will be released monthly on our website:

https://www.filmhousecinema.com/senior-selections-home. 

Details:

Upcoming online events will be held on:

Tuesday 13 July 2pm (The Rider)

Tuesday 10 August 2pm (Minari)

Tuesday 14 September 2pm (Breathless)

Tuesday 12 October 2pm (Bait)

You can already sign up for our event on Tuesday 13 July where we will be watching The Rider via the Eventbrite link below:

Register on Eventbrite

Training sessions will be held on Zoom on Wednesday 7 July and Thursday 8 July at 2pm. To join one of the sessions please email education@cmi-scotland.co.uk .

We will walk you through the process, from signing up on Eventbrite to creating an account and using Filmhouse at Home.

Thank you to our supporters who make Senior Selections possible: The Foyle Foundation, JTH Charitable Trust and all those who wish to remain anonymous.

Filmhouse at Home is supported by the Weston Culture Fund.

www.filmhousecinema.com  

The big screen lights up again at Edinburgh’s independent cinemas

The Dominion Cinema, Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh-based touring cinema operator INDY Cinema Group and cinemas all over the country, Scotland’s local independent cinemas and operators are re-opening their doors and welcoming cinema goers from today, Monday 17 May 2021, and over the coming weeks and months. 

The re-opening is being supported with an additional £1.98million Scottish Government support for 29* independent cinemas and one touring operator through Screen Scotland’s Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund. 

Meanwhile, every precaution is being taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience including spaced seating, enhanced cleaning, fresh air ventilated screens, more opportunities to pre-book online and distanced queuing and foyer spacing. 

There is a fantastic schedule of releases hitting the big screen over the coming weeks and months with audiences able to catch Oscar Winning films The Sound of Metal and Nomadland in all their glory on the big screen when they are released today, Monday 17 May, the Black Widow blockbuster and BAFTA-nominated Limbo (from Scottish-based filmmakers Director Ben Sharrock and producer Irune Gurtubai) landing in July and Edinburgh will also be coming to the big screen when it plays a starring role in Fast and Furious 9, also due for release in the summer. 

Ken Hay CEO of CMI (Edinburgh Filmhouse) said: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Filmhouse and Belmont Filmhouse when we reopen our doors on the 31st of May. 

“Seven months of darkness are finally coming to an end and the magic of the communal cinema experience is coming back.”

Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Development at Screen Scotland said: “The COVID crisis has presented independent cinemas with one of the toughest challenges ever faced.

“As restrictions ease and hope grows, Screen Scotland would like to pay particular tribute to the passionate, dedicated staff who are working hard to ensure the safe return of the big-screen experience.  

“Cinemas are magical, transportive places where we come together to experience stories that move us, thrill us and excite us.  Cinema goers are eager to enjoy the big screen and support in the recovery of the cinemas they love, and Screen Scotland will continue to work tirelessly to support cinemas return and further growth.” 

The latest survey results – commissioned by the Film Distributors Association – confirm that the UK public is more eager than ever to return to cinemas, with 59% citing the cinema as their most missed out-of-home entertainment activity, with 40% of audiences planning to return within the first few weeks after reopening and a further 36% within the first couple of months. 

The research also confirmed that lockdown over the last year has reignited audiences’ passion for seeing films on the big screen, with those who have digitally rented or purchased films highlighted as the most likely to return to the cinema as soon as they reopen.

The encouraging findings also confirm two thirds of respondents favouring the spectacular big screen experience, immersive sound, special effects, that only cinema can offer. 

With the wide-reaching safety measures in place to protect the health and safety of staff and audiences. 93% of cinemagoers who returned last year enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive experience, and 99% were satisfied with the health and safety measures at their local cinema. 

Following 12 months of lockdowns and restrictions, the survey further endorsed how well-loved cinemagoing is. Past research has consistently proved that cinemas provide vital support for the health and well-being of our communities. Getting out of the house and watching a film on the big screen allows us to escape and immerse ourselves in another world, if only for a few hours. 

Phil Clapp, Chief Executive at UK Cinema Association said: “We are delighted that cinemas in Scotland and across much of the UK will from today be once again able to welcome audiences back. At this time more than ever, we know how much local communities value their local cinemas. 

“Our own audience research, but also the many messages of support and encouragement received by our members, confirm that many people have missed the big screen more than anything during lockdown and every cinema venue in Scotland has been working hard in recent weeks to ensure that when allowed to re-open they will be able to offer the safest and most enjoyable experience possible.” 

Follow the campaign on social media via #BackToTheCinema or #LoveCinema and visit: 

https://www.screen.scot/news/2021/05/back-to-the-cinema 

New plans revealed for Edinburgh Filmhouse

Edinburgh’s Filmhouse has today revealed a bold new vision to create an internationally significant, fully accessible and environmentally sustainable landmark home for film and screen culture in Edinburgh.

It will provide unrivalled spaces and facilities for everyone to watch film, to make film and to learn about film and filmmaking in all its diversity.

The planned new Filmhouse building has been designed by award-winning Edinburgh based Richard Murphy Architects and will significantly improve and increase the quality and quantity of spaces available to and needed by Filmhouse and EIFF for their audiences, customers, participants and industry partners.

It will create a hub for Edinburgh’s film and broader cultural community to base themselves in, and be a focal point for Edinburgh’s citizens to learn about film.

Filmhouse’s audiences have made it clear what they value and these have been built into the design: location, atmosphere, diversity of programme, education and learning activities, great locally sourced food and drink in the Café Bar, and a safe and comfortable space for people to gather. Most importantly, these will all be delivered to contemporary standards of access and comfort.

Filmhouse has been at the centre of Edinburgh’s cultural landscape for more than 40 years. As well as a year-round programme of inspiring films, creative learning, special events and partnership working, Filmhouse is home to the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), hosts more than 20 other film festivals, and plays a key role in promoting a vibrant and successful film and moving image industry and culture across Scotland.  The new building will secure Filmhouse’s future for generations to come.

The new Filmhouse will:

  • Provide six new cinema screens allowing Filmhouse and EIFF to programme even more great films, festivals and partnership events.
  • Improve the audience experience with a world-class venue that is fully accessible for all, with comfortable seating and state-of-the-art facilities.
  • Continue to screen film on all formats, including 4K digital, and 16mm, 35mm and 70mm film.
  • Ensure accessibility for all, with a commitment that all public and office spaces are fully accessible for audiences, staff and guests.
  • Increase Filmhouse’s education and outreach activity, with dedicated education spaces to host year-round activity for learners of all ages.
  • House Filmhouse’s award-winning Café Bar, which will be designed to retain the intimate and safe atmosphere of the existing space.
  • Create a brand-new Festival Centre to provide a venue to support EIFF and other festivals and special events year-round.
  • Introduce a new Cultural Industries hub, supporting the Scottish screen sector with much-needed flexible workspace in Edinburgh’s city centre.
  • Create a restaurant and rooftop event space.
  • Keep Filmhouse’s iconic character and atmosphere, in a new building that has been thoughtfully designed to represent its independent spirit and ethos.
  • Reduce impact on the environment by creating a carbon-neutral building.
  • Increase financial sustainability, by creating greater capacity, diversifying sources of income generation, and becoming more self-sufficient over the longer term.

The oculus design reflects the eye on the world that Filmhouse, EIFF and the myriad of festivals, events and learning opportunities in the building will provide, whilst also providing a striking addition to Edinburgh’s architectural landscape.

Its location in Festival Square is designed to be the catalyst that brings to life a currently underused public space and as part of the development would place a responsibility on Filmhouse to manage the curation of activity within the surrounding square.

The architect drawings and visualisations for the new Filmhouse give people a good idea of the thinking on the position and shape of the building, and the spaces it would contain, howeverthe design is still in development.

Due to the significance of this project to Filmhouse and to Edinburgh, the project team are consulting as widely as possible on this proposal. The consultation stage will officially run for 12 weeks from 11th March to 3rd June.

Filmhouse is looking to engage with customers, partners, stakeholders including programming partners, creative learning partners and the Scottish film sector, community councils and councillors, and residents of Edinburgh to gauge support for the plans and further develop the designs before submitting a formal Planning Application to the City of Edinburgh Council during the summer.

Information on the proposed development including architect drawings and visualisations, the background to the development and FAQs will be available on the Filmhouse’s website. There will also be information and images on display at the Filmhouse including a scale model.

People will be able to give feedback through a simple online survey through the Filmhouse and EIFF websites, through comment cards in the Filmhouse, and formally and informally at events, meetings and discussions with Filmhouse staff.

Three all-day (10am – 7pm) public consultation events will take place in Filmhouse on Sunday 29 March, Wednesday 1 April and Tuesday 28 April where members of the Filmhouse team, Richard Murphy Architects and Montagu Evans will be present to answer questions and collect feedback.

There will be two Filmhouse Members’ Events for its more than 5,500 members on Sunday 29 March and Monday 6 April with opportunities for this key group of stakeholders to hear more and ask questions.

An annual Programme Partners’ event in March gives the Filmhouse’s festival and cultural partners an opportunity to focus on this consultation and how they can engage with the proposed development.

In addition, Filmhouse will actively engage with a range of audiences, customers, interest groups and stakeholders, for example presenting information specifically to its Young Programmers and Senior Selections volunteers, and will invite people from organisations or networks representing special interests to attend individual or group meetings to have more focused discussions about the designs.

Full costing of the project will take place later in 2020 to coincide with the formal Planning Application, but the cost is currently estimated to be in the region of £50m.

An indicative timeline, contingent on the Planning Application decision and fundraising success, hopes to start work on the building in 2023 with it opening in 2025.

This project is led by CMI’s Board and Senior Management Team, with support from property consultancy Montagu Evans.

Ken Hay, CEO of Centre for the Moving Image (inc Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival) said: “For more than 40 years Filmhouse has been at the centre of Edinburgh’s cultural life, and for more than 70 years Edinburgh International Film Festival has been an international beacon for film and film culture.

“This proposed new building will transform what we’re able to do for Edinburgh’s residents and Scotland’s film community, as well as providing Scotland with a physical celebration of the most popular artform.  Through doubling the number of screens and seats for regular cinema-goers, creating dedicated education and learning spaces, and developing an iconic festival centre, all within a fully accessible and carbon neutral building, this really is a 21st century temple for film.

“We are hugely excited about sharing this vision during the consultation period, and are looking forward to engaging with as many people as we can in helping us shape the future for Filmhouse and lovers of film.”

Sandy Begbie CBE, Chair of Centre for the Moving Image (inc Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival) said: “These are very exciting times for the Filmhouse – the opportunity to create a new home for film in Edinburgh, with a landmark building in the city centre.  

“This will provide a new state of the art home for Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival, but at its heart this is for the citizens of Edinburgh and Scotland and the entire film industry.

“The building will retain the purpose, values and culture that has served us so well over many years but in a building that will take us forward for the next 50 years.  This will also allow us to continue the valuable work we do in the community and the development of talent for the Scottish film industry.  This is what makes us different and the new building will provide the facilities to grow and develop that work.”