Cinetopia: Recommends, 23-29 June 2025🍿
Film screenings, events, opportunities and film news for the week / month ahead, covering Edinburgh, Glasgow and beyond! Helping you stay connected to the film community... 🎉
Greetings movie nerds! 💖Here’s your weekly film happenings drop!
BUT FIRST…
THANK YOU to those who have very kindly donated to our Ko-Fi fund that helps support the work that goes into getting this newsletter and social media coverage out each week! We appreciate every penny 💯
This newsletter is written out of love (for free!) and a mission to support film-related activity all support is greatly welcome 😀🙏
For now, if you want to show support financially, can DONATE the cost of a coffee to keep us fuelled and motivated!☕ CLICK TO DONATE
Not able to donate? Here are other ways to show support that really help:
Share this newsletter on your socials
Repost it to your own Substack feed
Send it to a friend with a recommendation to subscribe
Mention us on your social feeds and let your film-loving friends and followers know about us!
THANK YOU! AND HAPPY MOVIE-WATCHING 🍿
Want to feature your screening, event, opportunity or news for free! Simply complete our: EVENTS and OPPORTUNITIES SUBMISSION FORM.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY GUARANTEED WAY TO GET FEATURED (we do our best to trawl all the sites every week, but submitting to us directly makes sure we see it!)
If this newsletter gets cut off half-way click to view the full version here.
AROUND TOWN
Film screenings & events in Edinburgh and Glasgow 🍿
EDINBURGH
FILM SCREENINGS:
Only The River Flows (2023) | A seemingly straightforward murder case turns into a complex investigation of the citiziens of Banpo Town in rural China | Grassmarket Community Picture House | 25 June, 7pm
Finisterre Presents: X Trillion | 14 Women. 3,000 Nautical Miles. X Trillion Pieces of Plastic. Feature Documentary Following a Pioneering All-Women Expedition. A powerful, visually striking documentary that follows the all-women eXXpedition crew as they sail 3,000 miles through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, one of the most polluted areas of our ocean. | Finisterre | 26 June, 7pm
„Gardutė“ (Tasty) | Pirmoji lietuviška kulinarinė komedija „Gardutė“ – The first-ever Lithuanian culinary comedy "Tasty". From the creators of the sell-out hit The Southern Chronicles (Pietinia Kronikas), this nationally acclaimed Lithuanian film — nominated for 7 major awards — is a must-watch for Lithuanians and anyone curious about the country’s unique humour and cuisine. | St James Scottish Episcopal Church | 29 June, 6pm
Edinburgh Zombie Club presents an 'Animal Attack' Movie Double Bill | This June featuring 'Day Of The Animals' (USA 1977) + 'Orca' (USA 1979). Day Of The Animals is an entertaining B-movie eco-horror from the director of Grizzly starring Christopher George, Lynda Day George and Leslie Nielsen (in a non-comedy yet still hammy performance) where a battle for survival ensues after a group of hikers encounter a chemically imbalanced forest. Orca is the Dino De Laurentiis cash-in on Spielberg's Jaws starring Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling telling the tale of an Orca whale getting revenge on a fishing boat and its captain for intentionally killing the whale's family. The Newfoundland locations suit the story nicely and Ennio Morricone’s score is excellent. Edinburgh Zombie Club regularly screens two cult films on the last Wednesday of each month. | The Banshee Labyrinth | 25 June, 7pm
Dog-Friendly Screening: 28 Years Later | Zombies! Alex Gardland! Danny Boyle! …And you can cuddle your pooch if it gets too scary! It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily defended causeway. | The Cameo | 28 June, 11am
Throwback Screening: Withnail & I | In late 1960s London, two struggling actors – the flamboyantly self-destructive Withnail (Richard E. Grant) and his introspective companion Marwood (Paul McGann) – escape the squalor of their Camden flat for a disastrous holiday in the Lake District, courtesy of Withnail’s eccentric Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths). Hoping for rest and inspiration, they instead face rain, hunger and existential malaise in the countryside, woefully unprepared for rural life. | Everyman Cinema | 24 June, 8.30pm
Rooftop Movie Night: Legally Blonde | Join us for an evening showing of movie classics at Lochrin Rooftop Bar, Edinburgh. Grab your friends, and get ready for a night of movie magic. We'll be screening a classic film that's sure to entertain. Don't forget to grab some popcorn and drinks from the bar to complete your movie night experience. See you there! | Lochrin Bar | 23 June, 5pm
Flagged - World Premiere | Flagged is a documentary produced by Edinburgh University’s Student Television and the Scottish Social Mobility Society, exploring the isolation faced by working- and middle-class Scottish students, who make up 20% of the student body yet remain underrepresented on campus. Despite being recognised through the University’s Widening Participation schemes, rising living costs, long commutes, and systemic class-based barriers have left many feeling excluded. In dialogue with senior university figures, Flagged sheds light on these students’ overlooked experiences and the disconnect between policy and reality. | Custom Lane | 27 June, 5.30pm
Relaxed Screening: Pride & Prejudice | (Keira Knightley / Matthew MacFadyen version). Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice? Relaxed screenings are designed to make cinema-going easier for those needing additional support, including neurodivergent audiences and those living with dementia. | The Cameo | 27 June, 11.30am
Nosferatu on 35mm | The first 35mm presentation after reopening the doors to Edinburgh Filmhouse certainly won't suck... or will it? 🧛Dive into Robert Eggers' thrilling and terrifying gothic retelling of the classic vampire tale of obsession, infatuation and horror, with every detail of the Oscar-nominated cinematography, makeup, costume and production design beautifully rendered on film in our Screen 1. | Filmhouse Edinburgh | 28 June, 8.55pm
EVENTS:
The Future in Focus - Filmmaking Workshop | Join us for this creative free Filmmaking Workshop, running as part of the Edinburgh Climate Festival '25 Programme. In this hands-on filmmaking workshop, participants will create a collaborative visual poem, blending spoken word with filmed scenes to bring their vision of a thriving, sustainable future to life. No experience needed—just bring your creativity! | The Meadows, Melville Drive | 28 June, 1.30pm
Film Hub Scotland - Member's Coffee Morning | How can you grow audiences for your screenings? Looking for niche marketing tips and tricks? We know that building, sustaining and attracting new audiences is no mean feat. Join our next event for FHS members, where we'll be demystifying a small slice of the audience development pie. | Online | 26 June, 10am
Edinburgh Screenwriting Sessions | This is an informal meet-up for Edinburgh screenwriters looking to get some work done, meet fellow writers, and eat cake. | The Cameo | 28 June, 11.15am
GLASGOW
FILM SCREENINGS:
Youth Screening: Dog Day Afternoon | 15-25 Card members can each claim a free ticket for youth screenings. Simply log in to the GFT website with the account attached to your 15-25 membership to add your free ticket to the basket. From the true story about a Brooklyn bank robbery gone haywire one hot August day comes a gripping, funny Oscar-winning movie capturing star Al Pacino and director Sidney Lumet at the top of their game. | GFT | 23 June, 5.30pm
EatFilm - Sloans: The Princes Diaries | A clumsy, shy teen discovers that she's the princess of a small European state. She is then coached and must prove that she is worthy of her title while trying to make it through her school year. Movie, Main, Drink & Popcorn - £20pp | Sloans | 24 June, 6pm
Hurdy Gurdy Film Club - The Honeymoon Killers | Martha Beck (Shirley Stoler) is sullen, overweight, and lonely. Desperate for affection, she joins Aunt Carrie’s Friendship Club and strikes up a correspondence with Ray Fernandez (Tony Lo Bianco), a charismatic smooth talker who could be the man of her dreams—or a degenerate con artist. One of the legendary one and done directorial efforts, Leonard Kastle would replace no other than Martin Scorsese to helm this based-on-a-true-story serial killer romance. An unvarnished blend of documentary style, ripped-from-the-headlines realism and classic exploitation sensibilities, it’s not to be missed. | CCA | 25 June, 6.30pm
POWERLANDS: film screening, Q&A with film maker and discussion | Powerlands is a documentary film by Navajo filmmaker Ivey Camille Manybeads Tso that explores the impacts of energy production infrastructure on indigenous peoples and diverse ecosystems across a multitude of contexts, from her home in Arizona to the Philippines and many places in between. In doing so, Ivey Camille presents a moving story of indigenous resistance to colonial projects and visions for more just energy system futures. - This screening is co-hosted by Scottish Histories of Resistance along with GalGael. | GalGael Trust | 25 June, 5.30pm
German Cinema: Buddenbrooks | Join us to watch this intense silent chamber play about love, life, action, and failure on the big screen in our hall. Four-generation story-saga dealing with the decline of a middle-class Lübeck family.
The first adaptation of a Thomas Mann book was also Gerhard Lamprecht’s first major film. | Goethe-Institut Glasgow | 26 June, 6pmSudan, Remember Us | Documentary following Shajane, Maha, Muzamil, and Khattab: four young Sudanese activists in their twenties, these politically active and artistically creative youth are but a few of a generation fighting for freedom with their words, poems, and chants. Buoyed by courage, sheer will and collective hope, these Sudanese young people risked everything to overthrow the country’s military regime through impassioned revolution | GFT | From 27 June, multiple screenings
Windrush Caribbean Film Festival x Women of Colour Scotland – Glasgow Screening + Reception| Curated by Women of Colour Scotland in partnership with Glasgow Film Theatre, this special screening as part of WCFF 2025 showcases four powerful short films that explore identity, resilience, memory and heritage through the eyes of Caribbean women.
Windrush Caribbean Film Festival x Women of Colour Scotland Reception: 16.30pm - 18.00pm at Garnethill Multicultural Centre, 21 Rose Street, G3 6RE - The Lounge. Please join us before the screening for socalising and refreshments provided by Tropical Café, who bring the soul of the Caribbean to the heart of Glasgow. The venue is less than five minutes from the GFT. Access via stairs at the front of the building or level access via the driveway to righthand side of buidling. The film screening starts at GFT at 18.00. | GFT | 28 June, 6.30pm
The Horror Cut | Secret Cinema & Live Podcast | Get ready for a spooky night of cinema and a chilling podcast at The Horror Cut - it's gonna be a scream! Join us for a Secret Cinema screening followed by a Live Podcast with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt. Immerse yourself in the world of horror with fellow fans. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to delve into the mysteries of your favorite scary movies. Grab your tickets now and prepare for a night of thrills and excitement! | The Old Hairdresser’s | 29 June, 6.30pm
BOOK AHEAD: Scottish premier of Gaza: A Story of Love and War | Join Firefly International for an unforgettable screening of Mike Joseph's empathetic and thought provoking film. This documentary is the product of an encounter between two journalists. Mike Joseph is a Welsh Jewish journalist whose mother barely escaped the Holocaust (the rest of her immediate family weren’t so lucky); Sami Abu Salem is a Palestinian reporter living in Gaza, who has lost family, friends and home in the violence inflicted on Palestinians since October 2023. | Out of the Blue Drill Hall | 30 June, 2025
EVENTS:
WRITE YOUR PILOT: TV Writing Workshop with Chris Dudley & Kate Hammer | Do you have an idea that you want to see on the screen? A character that deserves more time than 5-minutes in front of an audience? Or just want to get into TV writing? This workshop will cover turning your idea into a first draft, and where to take it after you've polished it into gold. We will go over several different story theories, break down a case study episode of television, and learn how to pitch ideas through loglines, summaries, treatments, and having a strong first ten pages. By the end of the workshop, you'll be able to plot and write your own script that showcases your own voice (or whoever's voice you want, really). | The Humour Mill | 28 June, 11am
FOCUS On: Film Finance Structuring | Join FOCUS for an in-person event targeted at Scotland-based indies to enhance their knowledge of feature film finance structuring in the current market. Led by producer & EP Richard Mansell, this session will cover how to structure your film’s finance plan, including:
Securing and balancing multiple sources of funding (UK & international)
Managing risk for the investors and producers
An in-depth analysis of a real-life case study finance plan
There will also be an opportunity for a Q&A with Richard Mansell. Register your free place to help you as a producer to demystify the process of film financing and equip yourself with practical strategies. | Citizen M hotel | 25 June, 12.30pm
FURTHER AFIELD AND FURTHER AHEAD
Film-related treats happening around the rest of Scotland and UK!
BELFAST - DOCS IRELAND - Night for Palestine | In the face of the relentless genocide being waged against Palestine, Docs Ireland in collaboration with Filmlab Palestine, present a fundraising night to celebrate Palestine’s place in the world. | Dockers Club | 27th June, 9pm
DUNDEE - Endurance Film Screening + Q&A | Free screening of Shackleton’s lost ship discovery, with Q&A featuring Endurance22 leaders Dr John Shears & Nico Vincent. |
OPPORTUNITIES
JOBS / WORK OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP:
Camera Operator required for Fringe show! - PAID - I am bringing a show up to Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a full run at Gilded Balloon - a key element of the show is a live feed where we are looking to have a camera operator (in a static position for the whole show) to operate parts of the show to replicate an audition / casting workshop environment. The camera will be hooked up to a TV so the audience can experience what it's like inside an audition room. The operating will be quite straightforward, we need someone with a basic understanding of camera operating and framing. Dates needed: July 28th - 09:00 - 13:00 for tech rehearsal July 30th - August 25th (everyday except August 12th) - 11:20 - 13:00 (60 min show with 20 mins get in / get out either side) - sent in by Sophie Fisher - Find out more in the link! | Gilded Balloon | Dates between 28 July - 25 August
Production Lead - Into Film | £35,500 - £43,000 (GBP), pro-rata plus Into Film benefits Location: Hybrid, London, UK | Deadline 30 June
Bookings Team Executive - Into Film | £28,000 (GBP), plus Into Film Benefits, Hybrid, UK (multiple locations: Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Salford, London). Home and office based, as required, with some travel across the UK. | Deadline, 29 June
Marketing and Communications Manager - IberoDocs | Salary £3,174 (£15.87 per hour for 200 hours), Mid July – 5 October 2025 | Deadline 30 June
Sales Assistant - Park Circus Films | Salary: £24,000 | Deadline 30 June
Finance Administrative Assistant - Park Circus Films | Salary: £24,000 | Deadline 30 June
Marketing Officer - HippFest, Falkirk | Salary: £13,560 - £18,306 (113 days @ £120 - £162 p/d). (FTE 0.4) (£27,120 - £36,612 per annum pro rata) | Deadline, 14 July
Marketing and Communications Lead - WHALE Arts | Permanent Part-Time 14 hours a week £26,326 pro-rata | Deadline, 14 July
COURSES & WORKSHOPS:
Applications Open: BFI Film Academy Specialist Residential: Production Management | As part of the BFI Film Academy specialist course programme, applications are now open for our brand-new Production Management Course — an intensive, hands-on opportunity for aspiring film professionals aged 16 to 19 from across the UK. This programme is delivered by lead organisation Screen Education Edinburgh, in partnership with GMAC. | Course from 26 July - 2 August
MASO - Short Film Training Programme | Ambitious and aspiring filmmakers as well as seasoned professionals can benefit from the programme. Its aim is to promote the voices and ideas of creative people and, by doing so, create a more open, colourful, and diverse film and TV landscape. MASO is a safe space to create films and, above all, aims to reach talented people from underrepresented communities. An Advisory Board comprising international short films experts will choose who makes the final cut. | Deadline 30 June
Workshop: Working with influencers for cultural and creative organisations | People are primed to seek and follow the opinions and choices of others who they trust. Psychologists call this ‘social proof’ and it’s why influencers have huge potential to help you bring new audiences to you and your work. In this webinar, we’ll look at working with influencers on social media – not the unaffordable megastars, but micro and nano influencers who have niche, loyal followings in specific worlds that matter to you. | Webinar | 30 June, 10.55 am
FUNDING / AWARDS / FESTIVALS:
FESTIVALS / ORGS LOOKING FOR FILM SUBMISSIONS:
Animator/Filmmaker Opportunity - Manipulate Arts | Manipulate Arts is thrilled to be opening submissions for animated shorts by Scottish-based filmmakers to be considered as part of the 2026 Manipulate Festival programme. Manipulate Festival is Scotland’s international festival of animation, puppetry and visual theatre, which will celebrate its 19th edition in February 2026. Selected short films will receive a public screening at the newly re-opening Filmhouse cinema, in the heart of Edinburgh’s city centre. | Entries from Scotland only | Deadline 30 June
Cambridge Film Festival | ** Submissions are open for the 43rd Cambridge Film Festival! ** We’re looking for bold and inspiring films from around the world. Whether it’s a short or feature, documentary or fiction, animation or experimental work, if you’ve got a story to share, we want to hear from you.| Final deadline 22 July
Manchester Film Festival is proud to be a BAFTA Qualifying Festival for British Short film and a BIFA qualifying festival for both Shorts and Features | Mid-season deadline 22 July
Manchester Animation Festival | Hosted at HOME in Manchester, the festival brings one of the UK’s biggest animation hubs together and invites the international community to join us to delight in all things animated; working with organisations such as Aardman, Adult Swim, Apple, BBC, Blue Zoo, Cartoon Saloon, Disney, DreamWorks, Netflix, Sky and many more on special events and screenings. | Final deadline 18 July
London Breeze Film Festival | Calling black british filmmakers who are already doing the work - Introducing a brand new £10,000 fund, mentorship, and a UK premiere slot at London Breeze 2026 | Submit via MySmashMedia | Deadline 1 August 2025
The Activists Without Borders Film Festival (AWBFF) is an in-person event held in the UK, celebrating powerful documentaries and dramas that address critical issues such as human rights violations, the climate crisis, and social inequality. | Final deadline October 2025
FUNDS, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, MENTORSHIPS:
Royal Television School bursaries | We award bursaries to students from low income backgrounds studying any and all subjects as undergraduates or at HND Level 5 or 6. All you have to do is demonstrate your passion for pursuing a career in television, film, digital content production or related media industries in your application. | Deadline 24 June
Channel 4 Opens New Writers Scheme | a one-stop-shop for new writers with a burning desire to write TV drama. It is open to unrepresented new writers looking for their first writing credit. This scheme is aimed at those currently underrepresented in the TV industry. We are particularly keen to hear from Deaf and/or disabled people, ethnically diverse people and people from lower socioeconomic groups. | Deadline 25 June
Local Events Open Fund 2025/26 | To support the aims of the Edinburgh Event Strategy, the City of Edinburgh Council has launched the Local Events Open Fund 2025/26. | Deadline, 10 July
Creative Scotland Open Fund for Individuals / Supporting the wide range of activity initiated by artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners in Scotland. / Until 8 October 2025
BFI Creative Fund Opens | UK screen organisations can apply for funding ranging from £12,000 to £150,000 | Ongoing until March 2026
NFTS Sylvia Anderson Scholarship | A new funding opportunity for aspiring storytellers, created in partnership with ITV Studios. The Sylvia Anderson Scholarship will support students on the NFTS’ world-renowned two year Screenwriting MA, ensuring that the next generation of screenwriters continue to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation. | Starting Jan 2026
Schools Screen Education Fund | Funding to support schools across Scotland in their delivery of film and screen education. £500 - £5,000 per project. | Screen Scotland | apply before March 2026
NEWS:
Film stories, productions, news, reports, industry insights, and other tidbits that have caught our attention this week!
UK Global Screen Fund, LFF, NFTS receive big funding boosts from UK government 💰
NFTS Sean Connery Talent Lab shorts get World Premiere at EIFF 👏
Christopher Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY film shoot now in Inverness? 🔱
British Independent Film Awards announces dates until 2027 and reveals new board members 🏆
Film Festivals currently running / coming up:
Raindance / 18-27 June / London, UK
Docs Ireland / 24-29 June / Belfast, UK
Karlovy Vary Film Festival / 4-12 July / Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Cinema Rediscovered Festival / 23-27 July | Bristol, UK
Venice Biennalle del Cinema / 27 August - 6 September / Venice, Italy