The most popular soundtracks of 2022 revealed 

  • Whitney Houston’s biopic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” takes first place with over 2,5 billion streams 
  • “Top Gun: Maverick” comes in second, while “Elvis” is third 

I Wanna Dance with Somebody” has the most popular soundtrack of 2022, a new study has revealed. 

The study conducted by CasinoBonusCA analyzed 50 of the most popular movies of 2022 and compared their official soundtrack albums on Spotify, summing the streams for each song, to determine which soundtrack is the most popular of last year. 

Whitney Houston’s biopic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” is first, as the album got a total of 2.5 billion streams. The soundtrack is composed of 35 songs, including some of Houston’s most famous hits, such as “How Will I Know”, “Saving All My Love for You” and the song which gave the movie its name, which also has the most streams in the whole album – almost one billion. 

Second on the list is “Top Gun: Maverick” with 1.4 billion streams overall. The highly anticipated sequel of the 1986 hit movie was released on May 27th, 2022, in North America, with its soundtrack dropping on Spotify in the same week.

The album includes original songs which quickly became popular, such as “I Ain’t Worried” by OneRepublic, which has 733 million streams alone. 

Another biopic, “Elvis” comes in third place with 508 million streams. The album comprises 36 songs, among which there are covers of Presley’s songs, remixes and some original scores. 

Further down on the list, “Don’t Worry Darling”, starring Harry Styles and Florence Pugh, is fourth with 407 million streams. The album contains only 13 songs but managed to be among the most listened of the year. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” closes the top five with 382 million streams. The soundtrack comprises original songs by Ludwig Goransson, Rihanna, Burna Boy and more.

Top 10 most popular soundtracks 2022 
Rank Movie/Tv Show Spotify album  play count 
1 Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody 2,530,000,000 
2 Top Gun: Maverick 1,400,000,000 
3 Elvis 508,000,000 
4 Don’t Worry Darling 407,000,000 
5 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 382,000,000 
6 Turning Red 184,000,000 
7 Purple Hearts 179,000,000 
8 Marry Me 147,000,000 
9 Nope 67,794,980 
10 Bullet Train 67,404,044 

A spokesperson for CasinoBonusCA commented on the findings: “It is interesting to see the biopics of Whitney Houston and Elvis where the soundtrack is a foundational part of the movie, are next to “regular” movies, which had an original and fairly new soundtrack that was created and curated specifically for it. 

“An example of this is Top Gun: Maverick, which includes original songs by OneRepublic and Lady Gaga, as well as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with features by Rihanna and Burna Boy”. 

Award-winning nature film completes line up of upcoming Wildscreen Film Festival showcase

  • Wildscreen has announced the full programme for their upcoming two-day natural world storytelling film screening showcase, with tickets available for as little as £12.
  • Four-time Panda Award winning film, ‘My Garden of a Thousand Bees’, and an impressive list of Scottish artists and filmmakers complete the line up.
  • Additional networking opportunities will give delegates, both professionals and enthusiasts, a chance to connect with key players in the Scottish natural history TV and film industry.

Wildscreen, the leading conservation charity, has revealed the full line up for their two-day natural world storytelling film showcase, taking place at the Glasgow Science Centre on 18th-19th March, 2023, with tickets available for as little as £12.

‘My Garden of a Thousand Bees’, winner of the coveted Golden Panda Award at the 2022 Festival and Royal Television Society Programme Award 2023 nominee, joins the jam-packed agenda alongside other film screenings exploring the lives of some of nature’s most underrepresented and enduring stories.

The showcase will also feature talks and Q&A sessions from global filmmakers and conservationists, with a celebration of renowned and emerging Scottish talent speaking at the event.

New to the Glasgow Roadshow is ‘My Garden of a Thousand Bees’, winner of four Panda Awards AKA the Green Oscars and it has been recently nominated in the Science & The Natural World category at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2023.

Directed by acclaimed Bristol-based wildlife filmmaker Martin Dohrn, it explores the fascinating lives of bees living in his urban garden during lockdown. Following the screening, a Q&A, featuring two of the team who worked on the film – Glasgow-based music composer Fraser Purdie and Olivia Massey, will take place providing a chance to uncover the secrets behind this inspiring nature documentary.

The panel will also feature Jasmine Isa Qureshi, ambassador for the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust and will be chaired by Jackie Savery, Director and Founder of Glasgow production company Maramedia.

Other screening highlights, including ‘Panteras, Living Among Wild Cats’ and ‘Wild Romania’, allow attendees to experience the lives of the last wild cats on earth and the best-kept secrets in Europe’s wilderness. The Young Programmers Selection sees a carefully selected series of short films curated by local creative talent.

There will also be a collection of films exploring the latest efforts in ocean conservation featuring an expert panel, including Save our Seas’ Science Communicator, Dr. Isla Hodgson and Scottish Artivist, Rachel Brooks.

Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, said: “Glasgow has a long history as a hub for natural world storytelling and environmental action, as a previous European City of Culture and home to the recent COP26 conference.

“This Roadshow allows us to bring our selection of acclaimed films to Scotland, whilst giving a platform to local filmmaking talent. Delegates will get a chance to understand some of nature’s most fascinating stories at a time when climate action and conservation are most needed. If you have an interest in natural history, this is not one to miss.”

A separate networking drinks reception, at the Saramago Terrace Bar, CCA on Friday 17th March, will take place before the showcase, with opportunities to catch up with existing colleagues and make new connections in the natural world filmmaking industry. The Glasgow Roadshow is supported by the National Lottery through Screen Scotland, and it is sponsored by the Save our Seas Foundation.

Tickets are still available from as little as £12 with a variety of passes and concessions available to those seeking employment, in full-time education, registered disabled or over the age of 65. Free tickets and attendance support are available to local community groups working with underrepresented young people. Please do reach out to find out more.

See the full programme here.

Bringing nature films into the city! Glasgow hosts Wildscreen screenings

  • Glasgow has been selected to host Wildscreen’s two day film screening and networking event.
  • A brand new gathering for the city sees a clutch of screenings from Wildscreen Festival’s Official Selection 2022, including ‘Panteras, Living Among Wild Cats’ and ‘Wild Romania’.
  • The event is supported by the National Lottery through Screen Scotland and sponsored by Save our Seas Foundation.
  • Tickets are now on sale with both day and weekend passes available.

Returning to the city for the first time since 2016, Glasgow will host the first ever Wildscreen Roadshow event, a two day natural world storytelling film celebration. Taking place on 18th – 19th March at Tower North in the Glasgow Science Centre, the event has several film screenings, talks and Q&A sessions.

The films, from Wildscreen Festival’s Official Selection 2022, include ‘Panteras, Living Among Wild Cats’ and ‘Wild Romania’, as well as a series of three ocean films and the Young Programmers Selection. In addition, leading industry filmmakers and conservationists will be taking part in discussions and presentations, bringing global storytellers to Scotland.

Opening the event, which is supported by Screen Scotland, is the Wildscreen Festival Official Selection Programmer Prize Winner 2022 ‘Panteras, Living Among Wild Cats’, directed by Andoni Canela (Spain). It follows the renowned nature photographer and his son as they travel in search of the last wild cats on the planet. The full Saturday programme is set to be published in the coming weeks.

Sunday will begin with a series of ocean conservation films, including ‘CAUGHT’, directed by Emma Silverstone Segal (Canada) and ‘Whales in a Changing Ocean’, directed by Richard Sidey (New Zealand), followed by a Q&A with underwater filmmakers and marine conservationists.

The Young Programmers Selection will feature a carefully selected collection of short films curated by young programmers. Closing the two-day event, ‘Wild Romania’, directed by Dan Dinu and Cosmin Dumitrache and Wildscreen Festival Official Selection Audience Award Winner 2022, will follow the four seasons of the year to unveil the best kept secrets of Europe’s wilderness.​​​​​​

Gail Robertson, Screen Education Officer at Creative Scotland: “This event addresses a continued and vital need to provide young people with an opportunity to engage with climate change issues, natural filmmaking, and the screen industry.

“We hope it encourages their future involvement in all these arenas and tells them that their presence and voices in this area are not just welcome, but a necessity.”

Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, said: “Following our most successful festival to date alongside the launch of our Global Hubs in 2022, our Glasgow Roadshow will help us to further the crucial discussions around natural world storytelling. We must bring filmmaking into cities where people perhaps feel more of a disconnection from wildlife but still have a curiosity about nature.

“As the planet and biodiversity face increasing threats from climate change, our showcase will help to highlight some of the most underrepresented stories and voices from across the world whilst inspiring those in Glasgow and across Scotland to find their own stories closer to home. The time for action is now and we invite you to join us next month in what is our first of many Roadshows.”

Glasgow was chosen to host the showcase as it is considered the home of natural history in Scotland, with leading television and film production companies, including Maramedia and Hello Halo, also based in the city. As a previous European City of Culture, it has a long heritage and history with arts, creativity and storytelling.

Tickets are now on sale from as little as £12 with a variety of passes and concessions available to those seeking employment, in full-time education, registered disabled or over the age of 65.

The event is supported by the National Lottery through Screen Scotland, who is providing funding specifically to help underrepresented young people in the area, and it is sponsored by Save our Seas Foundation.

Find out more here.

REVEALED: How much Kevin’s electricity bill would be if Home Alone was set in 2022

KEEP THE CHANGE, YA FILTHY ANIMAL!

New data has predicted that Kevin McCallister would have racked up a £66.19 (or $80.65) energy bill in his three days Home Alone if the film was set in 2022.

Although it was released 32 years ago, in many ways, Home Alone is a timeless classic. However, if you’ve started your Christmas movie marathon already this year, you may be shocked by the HUGE amount of electricity that young Kevin McCallister uses in his time ‘Home Alone’. 

In light of the cost of living crisis, researchers at interiors brand, Bobbi Beck, have analysed the film to estimate how much money Kevin’s escapades would cost his parents if the film was set in the modern day:

The Bill

Researchers calculated that Kevin McCallister would have used at least 472.22kwh of energy in his three days left Home Alone. Based on the average residential electricity rate in his hometown of Chicago (Source: EnergyBot), Bobbi Beck predicts that Kevin’s energy bill would be AT LEAST $80.65 (or £66.19).

For context, in the UK, the average daily energy bill is around £2.70 (Source: Uswitch).

It is estimated that Kevin would have spent almost FIVE TIMES more than the average in his local area of Chicago, where the typical daily energy bill is $4.57 (Source: Energy Sage).

The Setup

How did Kevin rack up such a huge energy bill? We know that Kevin is alone for a total of three days (Source: IMDB) in a huge Chicago house, with six bedrooms and six baths (Source: Zillow). The house is apparently 4,243 square feet on a lot over half an acre in size (Source: Realtor). 

Kevin uses a lot of electricity in his various schemes, from heating up the doorknob with an electric barbeque lighter to using a record player and toy train track to mimic a party.

However, the most significant energy usage comes from the lights, both indoors and outside. During the infamous booby trap scene, we can see that every single light is on, but Kevin does turn them off when he leaves for church (Source: Youtube).

To calculate Kevin’s energy bill, Bobbi Beck investigated three areas of electricity usage: outdoor lights, indoor lights and TV use. 

Outdoor Lights

The data estimates that Kevin would have used £7.57 (or $9.22) on outdoor lighting alone if the film was set in 2022. With each side of the house stretching around 20 meters, around 10 sets of lights would be required, guzzling an estimated 54kwh for the three days (Source: Simply LED). 

Indoor Lights 

Kevin spent an estimated £58.59 (or $71.39) on indoor lighting. Researchers calculated that his home is  2.49 times bigger than an average U.S. house, meaning that they would have an estimated 99.60 lights inside (Source: Visual Capitalist).

The lights are likely to be an older, less energy-efficient model, most likely 100W in the estimation of Bobbi Beck’s researchers. They use 0.1kw an hour (Source: Ideal Home) and, because an average eight-year-old boy sleeps for around 10 hours (Source: Sleep Foundation), the lights would be on for roughly 42 hours. Therefore, Kevin would use 418kwh on indoor lights.

TV Use

Although it’s only a minor cost, researchers also uncovered that Kevin would have spent just 3p (or 4¢) on TV use. One of the most memorable Home Alone scenes sees Kevin watching a gangster film. He has a TV that is typically less energy efficient than a plasma and uses about 100 Watts of electricity (Source: Scientific American). An average film lasts 2 hours and 10 minutes (Source: Statista), so the gangster film alone would use up 0.217kwh.

James Mellan-Matulewicz, CEO of luxury wallpaper brand Bobbi Beck commented: “Most of us are currently feeling the impact of the cost of living crisis, with energy costs and food prices soaring. Not only does this impact our day-to-day finances, but it can also change our perspective on things – and Christmas movies are no exception …

“Home Alone is arguably the best Christmas movie of all time, particularly well known for its spectacular festive interiors. But when watching the film back, the amount of electricity that Kevin uses is really shocking! That’s why we wanted to crunch the numbers to find out just how much money he would have cost his parents in his three days of chaos.”

“We investigated Kevin’s lighting and TV usage to find that his energy bill would have been at least $80.65 for three days – that’s £66.19 in pounds. His TV use only cost a measly 3p, whereas his indoor lights have racked up a £58.59 bill. Given the average daily electricity bill in the UK is £2.70, it’s really shocking to see how much energy he used!”

These calculations were released by luxury, sustainable wallpaper brand Bobbi Beck, which provides a number of wallpaper designs to suit a range of tastes and personalities. 

My Land, My Story: School film showcased at National Gallery

A FILM created by Aberdeenshire pupils has been displayed at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art after the school won a national competition.

Pupils from Kemnay Academy travelled to the capital to watch a film they created on local land being projected onto the museum after being announced as winners of the Scottish Land Commission’s MyLand.Scot ‘My Land, My Story’ campaign.

The film told the story of the area around Kemnay Quarry and the transformation the land has seen in the past, present and future – from producing granite that was used in the Scottish Parliament Building and Forth Road Bridge, to becoming a community and educational space.

Dexter Cook, a 16-year-old pupil from the school, said: “Creating the film has been a brilliant experience. It’s been fascinating to learn about our local land and get creative to showcase its use.

“The highlight was actually winning the competition. Everyone is extremely proud to have seen our film projected onto the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and it was such a fun day travelling to Edinburgh as a class for the event.”

The ‘My Land, My Story’ competition was launched by the Scottish Land Commission as part of its MyLand.Scot campaign in connection with Visit Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 to raise awareness among the younger generations about the range of positive ways land can be used and reused around the country.

Kemnay Academy received a £500 grant from the Scottish Land Commission to create their film on the Kemnay Quarry, which saw the school’s Environmental Sciences and Media Studies classes combine to bring the project to life.

Land Reform Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Scotland’s land is a precious national resource that is fundamental to our economy, our environment, our wellbeing and our just transition to net zero.

“It also forms an important part of our history and culture – as demonstrated by Kemnay Academy in their impressive film. I offer my congratulations to the young winners for this excellent achievement.

“Scotland already has a long history of land reform, with the statutory Community Right to Buy, the Scottish Land Commission and the Scottish Land Fund empowering people across the country to benefit from the ownership and use of local assets.

“Through our ambitious new Land Reform Bill we will support this existing work to encourage and support responsible and diverse landownership – and create more opportunities for people and communities to determine how land in their area is used.”

MyLand.Scot is an online initiative which aims to highlight ways in which Scotland’s land is owned, used and managed. From social media-savvy farmers to communities transforming derelict land into gardens, the project uses case studies to showcase positive examples of land use around the country.

Hamish Trench, Chief Executive of the Scottish Land Commission, said: “Pupils at Kemnay Academy have been incredibly creative in demonstrating ways in which young people in Scotland can engage in conversations around land use.

“It was exciting to see their production centre stage at the National Gallery of Modern Art and we hope that projects like this will continue to encourage young people to think of land in creative ways and encourage in conversations around Scottish land.”

The Scottish Land Commission works to create a Scotland where everybody can benefit from the ownership and use of the nation’s land and buildings.

For more information on MyLand.Scot visit: https://myland.scot

For more information on Visit Scotland’s ‘Year of Stories’ visit: 

https://www.visitscotland.com/about/themed-years/stories/

An evening in celebration of the HUNGRY BEAT

CELEBRATING SCOTLAND’S UNDERGROUND POP MOVEMENT

WHITE RABBIT Books & UNDERGROUND SOLU’SHN Records present …

HUNGRY BEAT

La Belle Angèle, Edinburgh

Saturday November 19th, 7-10pm.

An evening of words, music and subtle dislocation …

Celebrate the publication of Hungry Beat – The Scottish Independent Pop Underground Movement (1977-1984)

by Douglas MacIntyre and Grant McPhee with Neil Cooper

with

  • The Hungry Beat Group and guests, featuring members of Aztec Camera, The Bluebells, Article 58, Josef K/Orange Juice.
  • Tam Dean Burn (The Dirty Reds) reads from Hungry Beat.
  • Bob Last (Fast Product / Pop:Aural) in conversation.

Tickets £10 from www.undergroundsolushn.com/hungrybeat.html
Doors 7-10pm.

HUNGRY BEAT, Saturday November 19th,

La Belle Angèle, 11 Hastie’s Close, Edinburgh EH1 1HJ.

Tel: 0131-220-1161

Exclusive 7″ Bundle/Signed copies of Hungry Beat available on the night.

Film programme celebrates cultural heritage through UK-wide events

Changing Times inspires curious film experiences that connect future and past

A programme of special events is underway across the UK, all of which use film to connect us in these ever-changing times.

The Changing Times: Curious screen heritage programme, which began in earnest at Thurrock Film Festival, uses archive film to find new ways to celebrate the human desire to learn more about the people and things around us, bringing heritage cinema to new audiences in many different ways. The programme from the BFI Film Audience Network is made possible thanks to National Lottery funding.

Later in the autumn, The Box, in partnership with Plymouth Arts Cinema and Compass Presents, will show a selection of films as part of Changing Times: Curious, which allow audience members to expand their connection with the work in the galleries. 

CURIOUS About British Art Show 9 will feature screenings that highlight the ways in which encounters between British and other cultures have enriched our society throughout history.

This follows the events in Thurrock by the Anglo Asiatic Arts and Heritage Alliance (AAAHA), which honoured several socio-historic milestones, namely the 75th anniversary of the Independence of India and Pakistan, the 50th year since the expulsion of South Asians and Sikhs from Uganda, and the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong.

Similarly, Re:Score was part of The Freedom Festival 2022, an annual feast of music and performance arts held since 2007 in honour of Hull’s slave trade abolitionist, the MP William Wilberforce. It featured commissions by The Broken Orchestra (UK), providing specially created scores to breathe new life into seemingly forgotten pieces of silent archive footage, featuring a Black May Queen in wartime Britain, and a charity supporting the families of local fisherman in the 1960s.

Journey to the Isles, Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, a new commission from the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival offered a glimpse into the landscapes, folktales and songs that inspired one of Scotland’s great early collectors of traditional arts.

The tour of the piece across Scotland, including at Sea Change Festival by Screen Argyll in Tiree, Dundee Contemporary Arts, and An Tobar and Mull Theatre, concluded at Eden Court in Inverness and featured a performer Q&A, plus a live stream for international audiences.

In collaboration with the East Anglian Film Archive, Reel Connections in Norwich will host an archive package entitled Sounds of Silents: Curious Youth at the Octagon Unitarian Chapel in the city on 27 October.

The event will include live scores by local musicians Broads, featuring Jess Blake, Kitty Perrin and Milly Hirst. A short film version will then be made available for screenings at community venues in partnership with Creative Arts East, later in the year.

This will be followed by I Ken Whaur I’m Gaun (I Know Where I’m Going) by Cinetopia at The French Institute in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town between 27 and 31 October.

The event, which will explore how folk songs have acted as a form of storytelling in Scotland over time, includes archive film screenings, live musical performances using material extracted from the National Library of Scotland’s moving image archive, and a looped audio-visual installation that will be on display throughout.

Having started on October 13 at Berneray in Borve, Uist Film will screen Gaelic documentary Dúthchas (Home) through the UK, accompanied by a minority language archival film programme using materials from across the UK’s film archives. 

Dúthchas (Home) is a touching and emotive exploration of what it meant – and still means to people, especially women, to have to leave the island of their birth.

For the finale of Yorkshire Silent Film Festival on 6 November at Morecambe Winter Gardens, No Dots Ltd will present Echoes of the North: Four Chapters in Time, the world premiere of a silent film made from more than 100 fragments of archive film, together with an all-brass live score performance from Brighouse and Rastrick Band.

The event will be complemented by a selection of short films scored by Morecambe and Lancaster-based musicians. 

Throughout November, Birds’s Eye View will present Queerious, an archive programme with short films from national archives that’s touring the UK, exploring a multitude of desires on screen in ways all too rarely seen in cinema, including stories of sexual awakenings and re-awakenings, and queer love through a feminist perspective.

Venues include the Exeter Phoenix, Glasgow Film Theatre, Broadway in Nottingham, London’s Rio and Genesis, the Showroom in Sheffield, Chapter in Cardiff, and Depot in Lewes.

Venues in Glasgow, Leeds and Erith this month and next will showcase After Hours, co-curated by Invisible Women and T A P E Collective to explore the significance of nightlife and safe cultural spaces through a queer/feminist lens.

Meanwhile, audiences in Walton, Liverpool can enjoy Walton Wonders under Cinema Nation’s The Spirit of Liverpool bannera series ofscreenings and community events celebrating unexpected archive discoveries, including a Home Movie Day and a pop-up cinema at the Rice Lane Underpass in collaboration with the North West Film Archive.

A double bill of Welsh Horror films from the 1970s will be shown by Matchbox Cine in collaboration with the National Library of Wales Screen and Sound Archive. Screenings will take place at Weird Weekend, Glasgow on 30 October, and at Abertoir – The International Horror Film Festival of Wales in Aberystwyth, starting on 15 November.

And last but not least, Belfast Film Festival is to host Vox Populi: The Voice of the People, a walk-through installation at the Bank of Ireland building in the city featuring informal street interviews recorded between 1959-1969 from the Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive, offering an insight into the area’s social history and highlighting unexpected attitudes of the day which both differ from, and echo, those held today.

Sheffield International Documentary Festival 2019

Screen Heritage Producer Andy Robson was a key decision-maker selecting projects to make up Changing Times: Curious. Speaking on the theme of curiosity, and the forthcoming events, he said: “The last few years have forced us to look at life through a new lens. Through disruption and isolation, we’ve recognised things we may have missed or never considered before.

“Through multiple lockdowns, we gained a new awareness of our communities and neighbourhoods, made discoveries of previously unacknowledged places on our doorsteps, and found satisfaction in personal passions and curiosities.

“However we experienced it, we were asked to question and learn something new, to understand the unfamiliar and seek solutions. Through film’s unique ability to transport us, illuminate ideas and to spark a conversation, we can seek those solutions and understand those experiences together.”

Visit individual venues and organisations to find out more about events and to book. And to find out more about Changing Times: Curious, visit

filmhubnorth.org.uk/curious

Film Fest In The City 2022 Programme Revealed

Edinburgh International Film Festival in partnership with Essential Edinburgh returns to St Andrew Square Gardens for an opening weekend of free outdoor screenings from Friday 12th August to Sunday 14th August.

Film Fest in the City in St Andrew Square Gardens returns as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival programme on the festival’s opening weekend from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th August. The free and non-ticketed outdoor screening programme of new and classic cinematic favourites reflect the wider EIFF 2022 themes, including a celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen for Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.

The programme is delivered in partnership with Essential Edinburgh and supported by Innis & GunnEIFF’s Official Beer Partner, travel partner LNER and supported by EventScotland as part of the Year of Stories 2022 and reflects EIFF’s return to August embracing other cultural festivals around it. EIFF is working closely with local travel partner Lothian Buses to encourage sustainable travel to Edinburgh’s city centre, plan your journey at lothianbuses.co.uk or download the Lothian buses app.

On Friday 12th August, EIFF tips its hat to the Edinburgh International Book Festival with a day of films that all started in the twinkle of an author’s eye.

The day will also feature a selection of short films with a Scottish connection, screened before feature films and presented in celebration of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 as Scotland’s Stories on Screen. 

On Saturday 13th August, the celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen picks up pace as the Film Fest in the City programme fills the square with homegrown stories and some family fun, including a special live musical performance to accompany the 100 year anniversary screening of the 1922 classic Rob Roy, as well as Brave, set in the Highlands story of Princess Merida and The Illusionist set in Edinburgh plus more short films with a Scottish connection. And if all that homegrown fun wasn’t enough, stay on and enjoy the evening with the family favourite WALL-E followed by the recent blockbuster, Free Guy.

Sunday 14th August sees EIFF Youth Programmers from Edinburgh and Aberdeen take over the square with a selection of favourites including Twilight, Big, Shrek and Whip It to celebrate big screen favourites all directed their favourite female directors.

As a nod to EIFF’s closing night film, After Yang, the Film Fest in the City explores the idea of Artificial Intelligence on screen. For sci-fi purists out there there’s Stanley Kubrick classic, 2001 A Space Odyssey. If you like your A.I. all singing, all dancing, don’t miss everybody’s favourite Pixar robot Wall-E or maybe you just want to spend Saturday night with Ryan Reynolds (who doesn’t?!) then don’t miss Free Guy.

This special open-air series of screenings coincides with the main programme of full in-person cinema screenings as part of the 75th anniversary of the city’s International Film Festival, giving the Film Festival an East-to-West city centre presence and making cinema accessible to both film buffs and Edinburgh residents of all ages. Attending audiences can look out for lots of special surprises at each screening too.

These events are free. Film times and details of accompanying activities can be found by visiting www.edfilmfest.org.uk.

Audiences will enjoy the outdoor screenings with an amazing range of food and drink produce available to purchase on site, including EIFF Official Beer Partner Innis & Gunn. Heritage gastropub The Voyage of Buck will be have a bar on site which will be focusing on Lind and Lime Gin cocktails including collins and spritzes featuring summer flavours with London essence tonics and sodas.

Bring your favourite cinema snacks and picnic blankets or sit yourself down on one of the famous St Andrew Square deck chairs to enjoy the following:

FRIDAY, 12 AUGUST

11.00 | Paddington (2014 / dir. Paul King)

Everyone’s favourite bear in his first big screen adventure as he travels from deepest darkest Peru to London to try and find himself a new home.

13.00 | Fantastic Mr Fox (2009 / dir. Wes Anderson)

Filmmaker Wes Anderson guides an A-list cast in this stop-motion take on Roald Dahl’s classic book.

14.45 | SHORT FILMWhat Makes Soup, Soup? (dirs. Conor Reilly, Tommy Reilly, Malcolm Cumming)

…one of life’s greatest mysteries. From BBC Social team, a short film including a rising star, Glasgow-based Malcolm Cumming and composer Tommy Reilly, both known for their work on Anna & The Apocalype. In celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen.

15.00 | Christopher Robin (2018 / dir. Marc Forster)

Perth-born Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor stars as a now-grown-up Christopher Robin who is visited by Winnie the Pooh to help find his lost friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.

17.00 | SHORT FILM: Neville is Dead (dir. Louis Paxton)

Neville is Magnus’ best friend. Neville can’t die. This is going to be AMAZING. A short film from an Edinburgh filmmaker who recently directed the last ever episode of tv series Shetland. In celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen.

17.30 | Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000 / dir. Ang Lee)

Join us for high-flying spectacle in filmmaker Ang Lee’s martial arts masterpiece

19.40 | SHORT FILM: Flit (dir. Jack Allen)

A world-renowned, professional fly killer, named Carl, is on the cusp of finalising his latest and most powerful invention… an exciting new short film from an emerging Scottish filmmaker and animator.

In celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen.

20.00 | 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968 / dir. Stanley Kubrick)

One of the greatest cinematic experiences of all time. Stanley Kubrick’s journey into space is designed for the big screen.

SATURDAY, 13 AUGUST

11:00 | Brave (2012 / dirs. Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews)

Follow Princess Merida as she forges her own path in Disney and Pixar’s journey into the mythical Scottish kingdom of DunBroch. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen. Pre-screening family entertainment, including face-painting.

12.50 | SHORT FILM: Fear of Flying (dir. Conor Finnegan)

A small bird with a fear of flying tries to avoid heading South for the winter. A short animation which screened at EIFF in 2013. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.

13:00 | The Illusionist (2010 / dir. Sylvain Chomet)

Based on the story by Jacques Tati, this beautifully animated tale tells of a French illusionist who travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman where their exciting adventures together change both their lives forever. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen. Pre-screening family entertainment.

14.49 | SHORT FILM: Widdershins (dir. Simon Biggs)

A pampered gentleman’s seamlessly automated life is thrown into chaos when he pursues a free-spirited woman, against the advice of his robot butler. Scottish Film Talent Network-funded Scottish animation from the team at Once Were Farmers. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.

15:30 | Rob Roy (1922 / dir. W. P. Kellino), in celebration of Scotland’s Stories on Screen

Join us for a special live musical performance to accompany this impressive 1922 classic film.

17.20 | SHORT FILM: Betty (Will Anderson)

A new short from the BAFTA Award-winning Scottish animator tells the story of an avian protagonist as he falls in love with Betty and then loses her through a series of bad decisions…

Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.

18:00 | Wall-E (2008 / dir. Andrew Stanton)

An all singing, all dancing modern classic from Pixar.

20.00 | SHORT FILM: Don Vs Lighting (dir. Big Red Button)

Unlucky Don keeps getting struck by lightning… a short film from Big Red Button (Johnny Burns and Pier van Tijn), starring award-winning Scottish actor Peter Mullan. Celebrating Scotland’s Stories on Screen.

20:15 | Free Guy (2021 / dir. Shawn Levy)

Affable bank clerk Ryan Reynolds discovers he is a computer game character in this recent action comedy.

SUNDAY, 14 AUGUST

11:00 | Shrek (2001 / dirs. Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson)

Join a whole host of fairy tale characters in this animated, tuneful and funny animated adventure.

13:00 | Big (1989 / dir. Penny Marshall)

Tom Hanks reconnects with his youth in this 80s family classic.

15:15 | Whip It (2009 / dir. Drew Barrymore)

Get your skates on and join Babe Ruthless and the roller-derby team in this funny and quirky drama.

17:30 | The Farewell (2021 / dir. Lulu Wang)

A funny and uplifting tale of a family reconnecting with their past

19:45 | Twilight (2008 / dir. Catherine Hardwicke)

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart star in this everlasting teenage vampire romance.