The Edinburgh Film Festival 2026 has opened with 21 world premieres, giving audiences the first opportunity to discover a new selection of films before they continue their journeys through the wider festival circuit and film industry. The festival runs from August 13 to August 19 and features 38 new feature films, alongside special screenings, retrospectives, filmmaker conversations and industry events.
The 21 world premieres cover a wide range of genres and filmmaking styles. Among the films making their first public appearances in Edinburgh are The State of Us, Borges and Me, Bodyhackers, Mission, Pretty Babies, Sea of Glass, Hungry, Skintown, Sacred Creatures, Snapshot and Out There. The programme also includes international and UK premieres, expanding the festival’s selection beyond its world-premiere titles.
The festival opens with The Incomer, the debut feature from Louis Paxton, putting an emerging filmmaker at the centre of the opening programme. From there, the selection moves across genres and international cinema, including I Want Your Sex from Gregg Araki, Sheep in the Box from Hirokazu Kore-eda and Hope from Na Hong-jin.
The festival’s Midnight Madness strand provides a contrasting selection for audiences looking for genre-driven cinema, with titles including Bad Day at the Office.
Alongside new films, EIFF is marking an important piece of Scottish cinema history with a 30th anniversary celebration of Trainspotting on August 14 at Leith Theatre. The event will feature live commentary from cast and crew before moving into a club night connected to the film’s celebrated soundtrack.
The festival is also placing a major emphasis on established figures from cinema. Kenneth Branagh will receive the inaugural EIFF Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award and participate in a career conversation, alongside a screening of Hamlet.
Ewan McGregor is also scheduled to take part in an In Conversation event, while Bruce Dern, Christine Vachon and Ken Burns are among the other guests appearing for discussions and screenings during the festival.
Emerging Scottish filmmaking is another important part of the 2026 programme. Six short films created through the NFTS Sean Connery Talent Lab will receive their world premieres, giving a new group of Scottish filmmakers an opportunity to present their work directly to festival audiences.
The festival’s industry programme also includes sessions aimed at filmmakers and industry professionals, including a discussion focused on filmmakers attempting to move beyond their debut features.
That combination of new cinema, established filmmakers, emerging talent and industry discussion remains central to EIFF’s identity. The festival has built its programme around independent cinema while creating opportunities for filmmakers, actors, producers and other industry professionals to engage directly with audiences.
The scale of the festival can also be seen in its previous edition. The 2025 festival recorded more than 16,500 audience members, along with 194 screenings and 34 industry and panel events.
With seven days of screenings and events ahead, the 21 world premieres represent only one part of Edinburgh’s 2026 programme. The festival is simultaneously using its latest edition to introduce new films, celebrate significant moments in cinema history, recognise established careers and provide a platform for emerging filmmakers.
The 79th Edinburgh International Film Festival runs through August 19, with the 2026 edition placing particular emphasis on film discovery, new Scottish talent and conversations with established figures from international cinema.
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