LAST weekend Leith Theatre rolled out its red carpet for an for an unforgettable celebration of the latest cohort from the BFI Film Academy Edinburgh and South East Scotland Short Course.
Screen Education Edinburgh learners spent the past few months working collaboratively towards their Preparing to Work in the Film Industry NCFE Level 2 qualification, while working together to write, direct and edit their own short films.
The result? Three phenomenal short films; “To Janice,” “To Be a Woman is To Be in Conflict,” and “I’ve Waited”, which we had the privilege of screening on the big screen at Leith Theatre.
Huge congratulations to all the learners for their outstanding films, hard work, and the remarkable stories they’ve brought to life. Your creativity and passion have left us inspired and delighted to be part of your undoubtedly incredible filmmaking journeys.
75 cinema screenings, 10 outdoor screenings and 5 discussion events
3 talent development events, 2 online film programmes and a film quiz
A total in-person attendance of 10,277
71% of cinema screenings sold out with an overall cinema occupancy of 82%
Hosted by Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival returned this year as a six-day festival from 18 – 23 August with a bold and tightly curated programme of 24 new feature films, 5 retrospective titles, 5 short film programmes alongside an outdoor screening weekend at Old College Quad at The University of Edinburgh which included 7 further features.
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) set out this year to keep the flame of independent cinema burning bright in the city and audiences and filmmakers have responded with love, support and attendance.
With a total of 75 cinema screenings across partnering venues Vue Edinburgh Omni Centre and Everyman Edinburgh, 71% of cinema screenings sold out with an overall cinema occupancy of 82%.
While a weekend of outdoor screenings saw a variety of audiences attend the dreamy surroundings of the Old College Quad at The University of Edinburgh for a mix of new film previews, family-friendly titles, artists’ films and a live soundtracks to a classic.
With a compact programme of films, this EIFF edition concentrated on depth of engagement, with discussion events such as Encounters panels mixing guest filmmakers with writers, artists and performers, a Sunday Salon conversation between Ira Sachs and Brandon Taylor, and the launch of The Lynda Myles Project, providing audiences with space to be a part of an ongoing conversation that places dialogue at the centre of the Festival and positions cinema in conversation with other artforms.
Feedback from industry guests attending the Festival has involved praise for EIFF as a place to gather, share ideas and champion the spirit of independent cinema with well-attended events such as Talent Assemble, delivered in partnership with BBC Film, BBC Scotland and MG Alba, showing that EIFF continues to be a cherished place at the forefront of building filmmaking relationships.
While a collaboration with Curate-It and a series of Critical Writing Commissions have enabled the Festival to support two emerging film curators and nine writers based in Scotland, broadening the voices and perspectives engaging with the Festival.
The Festival kicked off on 18 August with Silent Roar, a film that places Scottish culture at the heart of a wave of new independent filmmaking whilst Closing Night film Fremont capped off an international selection that included work from celebrated arthouse directors Kelly Reichardt, Ira Sachs, Cauleen Smith, and Christian Petzold, and showcased work from Argentina, Brazil, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.
Every film screening was introduced by a member of the programme team, and BSL interpretation was offered at all screenings that were presented with Descriptive Subtitles. The Festival welcomed over 75 guests to present their films.
Filmmakers and actors attending the festival included: Johnny Barrington, Theo Barrowclough, Louise Brealey, Hope Dickson Leach, Jeanie Finlay, Sam H. Freeman, Ella Glendining, Bette Gordon, Wendy Griffin, Rodger Griffiths, David Hayman, Mark Herbert, Paul Higgins, Ella Lily Hyland, Babak Jalali, Ian Jefferies, Fran Rubel Kuzui, Huw Lemmey, Karoline Lyngbye, Lorn Macdonald, Devashish Makhija, Louis McCartney, Shane Meadows, Kevin Pickering, Ng Choon Ping, Julia Parks, Henry Pettigrew, Daniel Portman, Janis Pugh, Charlotte Regan, Calum Ross, Ira Sachs, Annabel Scholey, Thomas Schubert, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Brian Vernel, Irvine Welsh, Chris Young, and Paris Zarcilla.
Kate Taylor, Programme Director for Edinburgh International Film Festival said: “This year’s film festival has shown that there is an unquenchable appetite in this city for independent and international cinema.
“We have been so delighted and moved by the conversations that have taken place between filmmakers and audiences, and the warmth with which people have engaged with the programme.
“I am beyond proud to have worked alongside the EIFF team who, since March, have worked with great passion and speed to deliver something special, and we all hope that the event’s success offers a beacon for a brighter future for EIFF and film culture in the city.”
EIFF is supported by Screen Scotland, and enhanced engagement activities are supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund alongside the PLaCE Programme (a partnership between the Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council and the Edinburgh Festivals).
The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has developed a range of new and exciting educational materials about the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands for inclusion in this year’s Hanson Box – an initiative by the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation which donates a box full of fun learning material, activities and lesson plans completely free of charge to 8000 schools in the UK and UK Overseas Territories.
Each year’s box contains a different set of specially crafted resources designed to help teachers inspire their students. For the first time, materials about South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands will be included, thanks to SGHT and the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT).
SGHT paid for the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands contents of 5000 of the 8000 boxes, with FOTBOT contributing the remaining 3000.
Six beautifully shot and incredibly engaging short films have been created by writer and film maker Stewart McPherson to sit alongside a booklet and a map of the island as well as two competitions whose winning entries will be displayed on South Georgia.
There are also links to download lessons about South Georgia for primary school students developed by teacher Dawn Clements, one of which features the journey of a character called Winona the Whale, to help young children understand the challenges of our marine mammals.
The tiny island of South Georgia is an inspirational place hailed as a beacon of hope in international conservation terms, due to the recovery of its ecosystem.
Through the Hanson Box initiative SGHT can tell the island’s remarkable story to engage young people in the wonderful wildlife and conservation work that is taking place there and to encourage them that they can make a difference to environmental outcomes.
The films really bring to life this amazing story and include an overview of these sub-Antarctic islands, their bird life, marine mammals and marine life, their history and heritage, and the conservation of wildlife that is turning back the clock on two centuries of human impact. Working with the Hanson Box initiative, SGHT hopes to inspire a new generation of environmental custodians.
SGHT, the Scottish-based charity that has developed the educational materials for the Hanson Boxes, has been working on the island since 2005, in close partnership with the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.
Its hugely successful Habitat Restoration Project has reversed two centuries of human-induced damage to the island’s wildlife, eradicating the mice and rats that arrived as stowaways on sealing and whaling vessels from the late 18th century onwards that preyed on ground-nesting and burrowing birds.
As a result, millions of birds reclaimed their ancestral home when South Georgia was declared rodent-free in May 2018 – the largest invasive species eradication in the world.
Stewart McPherson,whose generosity and talent created the wonderful booklet, films, printed lesson plans and competitions for the box said: ‘South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are as captivating as they are important in terms of international conservation.
“That is why it has been a pleasure to work on such an exciting project which brings together such a wealth of information, which I hope will inspire young people to a greater understanding and wonder of our natural world and in particular the importance of these tiny islands.’
Alison Neil, Chief Executive of SGHT, said:‘The work of SGHT focuses on the conservation of South Georgia’s heritage and helping to change the habitat there for the better.
“The opportunity to have materials included in the Hanson Box is incredible as we are delighted to share the wonder of this special place and hopefully encourage young people to get inspired about our natural world using the fantastic turnaround in South Georgia’s fortunes in recent years.’
photographed whilst working on the South Georgia Heritage Trust’s Rat Eradication Project in South Gerogia , Antarctica on February 08 2018. Photo: Oliver Prince
Andrew Fox and Simon Leary, Trustees of the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted to work together with SGHT to donate high quality, educational resources to 8,000 schools across the UK.
“As hyper-concentrated breeding sites for tens of millions of seabirds and marine mammals which migrate across the Southern Ocean, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are of global importance.
“The South Georgia resource pack included in the latest Hanson Box is intended to inspire the interests of British students in this history, wildlife and landscapes of this fascinating UK Overseas Territory, as well as showcasing the inspiring work undertaken by the SGHT and the GSGSSI to safeguard these islands for the future.’
To find out more about the work of SGHT in relation to the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands visit www.sght.org and to find out more about Hanson Boxes visit www.hansonbox.org
ReDrawing Edinburgh is a community-led outreach project designed to mark the centennial commemoration of the 1920 Edinburgh Boundaries Extension and Tramways Act.
It is coordinated by a community steering group comprising representatives from each of the boundary extension areas, with support from Council Archive, Library, and Museum services.
The city boundaries were extended in November 1920 to incorporate the Burgh of Leith in the north and the Midlothian parishes of Cramond, Corstorphine, Colinton, and Liberton to the west and south of the city. The expansion meant the city grew from 17 square miles to 53 square miles and increased its population from 320,000 to 425,000.
The ‘amalgamation’, as it was referred to at the time, was welcomed by some but opposed by others – in particular Leith Town Council who fought to retain its independence. The centenary commemoration provides an opportunity for everyone to understand how the city has grown and for the communities to reaffirm their own identities and heritage.
A series of short films created as part of Redrawing Edinburgh, were produced in a partnership between local heritage and community groups and Council Archive, Library, and Museums services. These presentations explore what happened in 1920 and celebrate the identities and histories of these communities.
It is the city centre of Edinburgh that often receives the most attention, however this project focuses on the communities that joined in 1920.
Join us on the 3-18 September for Cinescapes: ReDrawing Edinburgh, a series of five pop-up outdoor screenings of a new 15-minute film.
This film has been created from archive footage showing the 5 areas which were amalgamated with Edinburgh in 1920 through the Edinburgh Boundaries Extension and Tramways Act. ReDrawing Edinburgh celebrates the strong independent identities of the areas of Cramond, Colinton, Corstorphine, Liberton, and Leith and how they have retained them throughout the past century.
This isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s about identity. We’re celebrating the individual spirits that make up Edinburgh by screening the projections in the places that they are from.
In the Frame is a free programme for people living in North Edinburgh to learn documentary filmmaking and make their own short film.
Running from 20th September 2021 to March 2022, the programme will amplify the voices of local people and capture snapshots of life in the community by providing a platform to express themselves through a series of short documentaries.
Participants will learn each stage of documentary filmmaking, from an introduction to the genre via watching films, to learning the key skills in camera, sound, directing, editing, and interview techniques. We will also cover the ethics of documentary and support learners to use these skills to devise and produce a short film.
Many films used as case studies will come from the Pilton Video/SEE archive, which reveal some of the hopes and issues that matter most to the community in North Edinburgh over the past 40 years.
No previous film experience is required and In the Frame is open to people living in North Edinburgh (Crewe, Drylaw, East Pilton, Granton, Pennywell, Muirhouse, Royston, Salvesen, Telford, Wardieburn, Waterfront and West Pilton).
The programme will take place on Tuesday evenings for adults (aged 19 and over)and Wednesday evenings for young people (aged 14 to 18)with films shot throughout November and December and editing in January & February, with the film’s receiving their premiere on the big screen in March.
The programme is funded by Inspiring Scotland’s Creative Communities Programme which is funded jointly by the Scottish Government’s Culture and Justice directorates and aims to extend opportunities for people to take part in creative endeavours throughout their lives.
To find out more and to take part, please complete our short form here and the team will be in touch.
Outdoor screening of two short films at The Neighbourgood Market in Stockbridge
Scotland’s newest independent film production company, See It On Screen, launches today with the announcement of a summer premiere of its first two short films, Ice Melts and Out Of Town.
The films will be premiered at an outdoor screening at The Neighbourgood Market at Edinburgh Accies Rugby Club on Thursday 22nd July at 7pm.
Both films, Ice Melts (10 minutes) and Out Of Town (20 minutes), are original short stories written and directed by Archie Middleton, an Edinburgh-based graduate of MetFilm School in London, and have harnessed local and emerging talent and crews to create the finished films.
Archie said: “These films are my first published works as a professional and I am immensely proud of each and every member of the cast and crew who were involved in creating them. It demonstrates clearly that there is real talent and ability all around us which just needs a chance to prosper.”
And See It On Screen is determined to continue unearthing new talent, give it the exposure it deserves and, with it, access to the film industry.
Hester Middleton, founder of See It On Screen and producer of both films, explained “We are committed to the idea that talent can be found anywhere and recognised on sight. Archie has brought around him a team of dedicated individuals, all of whom are passionate about storytelling in film, some with film qualifications and some without.
“Our aim is to build a community of film-interested friends and supporters, and to create opportunities to work in film for those who would not otherwise have access. We won’t charge anyone to see our films, but we do hope that they will inspire our audience and other benefactors to support our future projects through donations.”
Ambika Okhandiar, Event Director of The Neighbourgood Market, added: “We are delighted to be hosting See It On Screen’s premiere event! It’s great to be playing our part in launching this ambitious and worthy venture within local cinema.
“We have had a successful festival this year, including screenings of Euro 2020 and Wimbledon. We’re excited to host this premiere and we look forward to meeting the cast and crew and welcoming all film fans. I am sure they will all enjoy sampling the amazing food and drink options that The Neighbourgood Market has to offer.”
Event Details:
See It On Screen Presents
Double Bill Premiere of “Ice Melts” and “Out Of Town”
Youth groups, schools, community organisations, activist groups and individuals of all ages, abilities and filmmaking experience will soon be invited to take part in a major Challenge to create 90‑second short films in response to climate change, to be screened in and around this November’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).
Led by Film Access Scotland with support from Screen Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful, the Climate Challenge: 1.5 Degree Films project will invite people to make films to share their thoughts and ideas about climate change and how it is affecting us as individuals, our surroundings, families and communities.
Local filmmaking training and support will be provided to groups in Scotland from film educators based in community hubs and within partner arts and cultural organisations. Regardless of background, age or filmmaking experience, anyone anywhere can submit a film to the Challenge, with resources available online to help people get started.
Films must be short, only 1.5 minutes long – like the hoped-for maximum limit on global warming of 1.5 degrees – and can be made using any technology, including smartphones and tablets.
Films will be available online, providing a platform for sharing views on climate change. Many will go on to be screened at fringe events in Glasgow during COP26 and there will be a special celebratory event in December where films will be awarded commendations and prizes.
Submissions from young people aged up to 25 years will automatically be entered into Film Access Scotland’s film festival in November.
Chief Executive of Film Access Scotland, Natalie Ushersaid “Global leaders will come together in Glasgow at COP26 to discuss urgent climate action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
“This Challenge invites you to make 1.5 minute films to join the climate debate and help us create a collective snapshot of this response to climate change. Through the filmmaking support offered by the project, we want to connect people with arts and community organisations across Scotland in order to facilitate public engagement and awareness about climate change.”
Scott Donaldson, Screen Scotland’sHead of Film Educationsaid: “We all have a huge stake in the outcome of COP26 and everyone has a story to tell about their relationship with the environment and climate crisis.
“Film Access Scotland’s open access Film Challenge will inspire people to learn more about the climate crisis, promote greater public engagement with environmental issues and support people across Scotland to make films and have their voices heard at the COP26 and beyond.”
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “To become a Net Zero Nation, the people of Scotland need to be supported to understand the Climate Emergency and identify actions we can take as individuals and as a nation to tackle it.
“Our experience working with people across Scotland is that ordinary citizens are some of the best climate change communicators, sharing messages in culturally relevant ways that resonate with their own friends, families and communities.
“That’s why we are delighted to be a partner in this project, giving a voice to people across Scotland and encouraging action on climate change at every level.”
If you are a representative of a group based in Scotland that would like to submit your expression of interest in participating, email info@filmaccess.scot. To keep up to date with latest developments, use #90SecondClimateFilms and visit Film Access Scotland.
Full details about the Climate Challenge: 1.5° Films project including eligibility criteria and submission deadlines will be announced in July 2021.
Saltire Society and EiFF celebrate milestone anniversaries with new £3,000 Most Promising Filmmaker Award
The Saltire Society and Edinburgh International Film Festival (EiFF) have announced a new award and £3,000 prize to be given to a promising young Scottish filmmaker to develop a short film, which will be shown as part of EiFF’s industry programme in 2017.Continue reading Seeking Scottish shooting stars
Thank you to BFI Film Academy, The National Lottery, The City of Edinburgh Council and Screen Scotland for making this course possible.
