Edinburgh International Film Festival sees biggest year yet
Established in 1947, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is actually the world’s oldest continually running film festival. This year marked its 70th anniversary, and the city welcomed over 53,000 film lovers, its highest attendance yet. The festival is a big promoter of international film, showcasing 151 features from 47 countries, including 17 world premieres and a huge 69 UK premieres. Chief executive Ken Hay explained, “EIFF is unashamedly international and outward-looking in its programming and its reach, with 59 countries represented through the programme, our filmmaker and industry guests, and our truly multi-national team delivering the event.” Another important part of the festival’s culture is its commitment to diversity and making cinema accessible to all. Mark Adams, artistic director, said, “The city always makes EIFF guests feel welcome and this year there was a real buzz and sense of enthusiasm and appreciation around the festival.” Winning films this year included Francis Lee’s God’s Own Country, Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov’s Glory, Daisy Jacobs’s The Full Story, Chico Pereira’s contemplative Donkeyote and Paloma Baeza’s Poles Apart. Mark Adams was particularly pleased with this year’s record attendance: “It has been satisfying and often humbling to receive such a great response from filmmakers, guests and the audience.” The festival wrapped on Sunday with a gala screening of Morrissey biopic England Is Mine and a closing party at the Playfair Library. Robbie Allen, senior screen executive at Creative Scotland, added, “Featuring an impressive array of films from around the world, great audience and industry events, creative discussion and an excellently curated retrospective, EIFF’s 70th-anniversary edition has captured the imagination of local and international audiences, entertaining and enthralling us all.”
Founding and History
Established 1947, the Edinburgh International Film Festival continues as the world’s oldest continually running film festival. The upcoming 79th edition in 2026 keeps the original mission intact while adapting to new industry conditions.
Programming Scale and Premieres
The 2025 program delivered 18 feature world premieres and 28 short world premieres for a total of 39 world premieres alongside 48 UK premieres. These numbers reflect the festival’s ongoing emphasis on fresh work from around the globe.
Audience and Industry Engagement
The 2025 edition drew more than 16,500 audience members across 194 screenings and hosted over 300 industry professionals at panel events and meetings. The turnout confirms steady interest from both the public and the trade.
Recent Editions and Attendance Trends
Attendance has settled into a sustainable range after earlier peaks. The 2025 run recorded more than 16,500 audience members across 194 screenings while drawing over 300 industry professionals to meetings and panels. This pattern shows the festival maintaining consistent reach without relying on past record claims.
Leadership and Organizational Evolution
Paul Ridd now serves as CEO and Festival Director for 2026, with Emma Boa acting as Festival Producer. Their appointments mark a shift from earlier leadership and bring fresh operational focus ahead of the next edition.
Major Awards and Prizes
The £50,000 Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence went to Abdolreza Kahani’s Mortician in 2025. The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence was awarded to Joanna Vymeris’s Mother Goose, underscoring the festival’s commitment to recognizing both established and emerging voices.
2026 Programme and Venues
The 79th edition runs 13–19 August 2026. New screening partners include Cineworld Fountainbridge and Leith Theatre, expanding options beyond the usual Filmhouse and Cameo circuit while keeping the core venues in place.
The festival continues to balance its historic status with practical updates that keep programming and access current. Updated attendance figures, refreshed leadership, and new venue partnerships show steady movement rather than static celebration. Viewers and industry guests can expect the same international scope that defined earlier editions, now delivered through an expanded network of spaces and a clearer prize structure. Tickets for the 2026 program go on sale in early July, giving audiences time to plan around the confirmed dates and locations.
