We’re excited to announce our in-competition programme for our 16th edition! The 2026 ESFF opens on Friday 6th November Filmhouse Edinburgh and continues until 21st November at the Filmhouse and Summerhall. With 7 nights of in competition short films competing for our 2026 awards, ranging from Chinese neo-noir to Finnish stop motion and from Kurdish documentary to Australian horror, Q and As, panel discussions and networking events. Tickets coming soon!

“Claude Chabrol’s Le Beau Serge (1958) is widely recognized as the foundational film of the French New Wave” The Guardian Francois comes back to his home village in France after more than a decade. He notices that the village hasn’t changed much, but the people have, especially his old friend Serge who has become a drunkard. Francois now tries to find out what happened to him and tries to help him.

A retrospective screening of Lilting by Hong Khaou. Mark ESEA Heritage Month with MilkTea and ESEA Creatives with a retrospective screening of Lilting by Hong Khaou. Set in contemporary London, Lilting tells the story of a Cambodian-Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son. Her world is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger. The film observes their difficulties in trying to connect with one another without a common language. Through a translator they piece together memories of a man they both loved dearly, and realize that whilst they may not share a language, they are connected in their grief. Our screening is followed by a recorded Q&A with the writer-director, Hong Khaou. Doors open at 19:00 Seated by 19:10

Andrea Arnold directs an alternative adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel. Tickets £3/£5/£7 on a sliding scale, with free entry for Grassmarket Community Project Members, open door meal attendees, and anyone else in need of a free ticket. Please select the ticket price that feels right to you; all income from tickets will be directly used to support the continued running of our cinema screenings. Notes Duration: 124 minutes The film will be screened with English descriptive subtitles, transcribing both dialogue and key audio information from the film Certificate 15 - Contains strong language, once very strong, racist terms & animal killings The film will start promptly at 7pm without trailers The Grassmarket Community Project is a wheelchair accessible venue

Cinetopia DOC presents Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché as part of Transmission: Youth Across Generations, a multi-event programme exploring how youth culture has shaped identity, belonging and collective memory in Britain from the 1980s to the present. As the first woman of colour in the UK to front a successful rock band - X-Ray Spex - Poly Styrene was a blazing voice of rebellion in the chaos and upheaval of 1970s Britain - singing about identity, consumerism, postmodernism, and everything she saw unfolding with a rare prescience and a female perspective. As an Anglo-Somali punk musician, Poly Styrene was also a big influence on the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements, inspiring later artists such as Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney and Neneh Cherry. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Paul Sng, and preceded by Patch It Up! A punk-inspired, clothes customisation workshop (tickets booked separately for workshop).- https://www.filmhouse.org.uk/movie/patch-it-up-a-punk-inspired-clothes-customisation-workshop/

On October 1, join CIFRA for a free Zoom Meetup with video artist Theo Eshetu and curator David Elliott. Together, we’ll talk about how an artwork can begin without a fully formed idea — and how experimentation, montage, personal archives, found footage, sound and editing can lead the work somewhere unexpected. Whether you’re stuck with a project, starting out in video art, or simply curious about how ideas emerge through making, bring your questions and join the conversation. TURNING UNCERTAINTY INTO ART October 1 · 6 PM CEST / 12 PM ET · Zoom

This Autumn, Glasgow Women's Library is delighted to present Collections On Camera: a series of film screenings and activities celebrating feminist cinema related to our collections. From much-beloved classics of DIY filmmaking to captivating documentaries, join us to celebrate women’s stories of joy and resilience. A classic of 1990s New Queer Cinema, Cheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman follows a young Black lesbian filmmaker (Dunye) as she uncovers the story of Fae Richards, an overlooked Black actress from 1930s’ Hollywood. Thoughtful and witty, this film showcases the importance of uncovering forgotten stories. Delve deeper into archival mysteries of The Watermelon Woman and beyond through an introduction from artist and writer Shola von Reinhold. Supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery.

The 13th Edition of the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival, screening at Filmhouse, French Institute and Vue Omni in Edinburgh, and touring across Tranent, Stirling, Ayr and Glasgow

The Scottish Youth Film Festival is back for a weekend of cinema, connection and celebration of Scotland's best filmmakers! Join us for this FREE event on the 2 & 3 October at Prestwick Academy for your chance to dive into the world of film and TV. Book your FREE ticket for this year's festival and workshops at www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk *Please note - you MUST book a General Admission ticket as well as your desired workshop ticket separately* Fri 2 & Sat 3 Oct 2026 Prestwick Academy, KA9 2LB Please note this festival is only open to people aged between 12-26.

A graceful, penetrating study of a couple’s deteriorating marriage, set against the backdrop of a small Mediterranean fishing village. La Pointe Courte is both a stylized depiction of the couple’s complicated relationship and a documentary-like look at the daily lives of the villagers. “A stunningly beautiful and accomplished first film,” which has also achieved a cult status as “the first film of the nouvelle vague.” (G. Vincendeau)