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:

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  

Calling all suckers for science!

Edinburgh Science Festival is bursting with excitement to kick off tomorrow

The 33rd Edinburgh Science Festival – the world’s first science festival and still Europe’s biggest – kicks off its hybrid 2021 edition tomorrow with a theme of One World: Science Connects Us and Cirrus Logic as its Headline Sponsor.

Featuring over 220 in-person exhibitions & installations and a wide range of walks, tours and trails (mainly outdoors), it is a perfect opportunity for people to safely get some live science this summer.

Its ambitious digital programme of talks, workshops and downloadable resources for people of all ages means that this year’s Festival truly connects sci-curious people around the globe. And with over 80% of its overall programme free it has something for everyone, from fun family activities to though-provoking discussions.

Exploring science of all sorts – from the depths of the oceans via Pale Blue Dot at the National Museum of Scotland which celebrates Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2021 to the vastness of space and everything in between – the Festival’s fantastic live interactive events in and around Edinburgh turn the city into a science playground and kick-start a wider summer of science offerings from many of Festival’s partners.

Programming for the Planet as Scotland prepares for COP26 and celebrating women in STEM are two key focuses of the 2021 Festival.

The Festival champions and leads the way to gender balance in science events with 60% of the participants in this year’s Festival women.

The ambitious online programme is packed with inspiring speakers such as young climate activist Maya-Rose Craig, environmentalist and explorer Sacha Dench and sustainable food author Annie Bell, among many others.

Artists Shona Hardie and Kelly Wilson bring us a Women in STEM Street Art Trail and the team at Bright Side Studios deliver Elemental a new multimedia experience on the theory of the elements.

And in a year that couldn’t pass without some focus on the pandemic, the 2021 Edinburgh Medal is awarded to Prof. Heidi Larson for her work on vaccine confidence.

To explore the full Festival offer – just bursting with ideas – visit: www.sciencefestival.co.uk

Festival Director Amanda Tyndall said: “At heart we are deliverers of inspirational live experiences, and we are delighted that – while it won’t look quite the same as in a normal year – we are back in the live game, with a focus on getting out and about, connecting safely with science this summer and having some much-needed fun.”

Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “This year’s Science Festival offers online and in person experiences that will connect audiences to an excellent line-up of speakers and events highlighting the urgency of taking action to combat the climate crisis. I urge everyone to get involved.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events said: “Now that the industry is taking its tentative steps back towards live events, EventScotland is delighted to be supporting Edinburgh Science Festival as it kicks off this weekend, complementing their digital programme with fantastic in-person elements that are sure to educate and entertain budding scientists and casual spectators alike.”

Jazz & Blues Festival programme announced

Start Spreading The News – #EJBFOnline launches today!

A four day online feast of content marks the dates of our 43rd Festival – (Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th July).

Featuring new sets made under lockdown, solo home videos, a selection of great content from our video archive and a host of talks, radio programmes, DJ sets and that lockdown staple: a quiz!

Spanning traditional jazz to the avant-garde, the festival features Scottish jazz luminaries and some international friends – we hope you enjoy.

See the full programme here: https://edinburghjazzfestival.com/what…/2020-programme.html…