Cinetopia: Recommends, 24-30 March 2025 ๐ฟ
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... ๐
Happy Sunday movie geeks! ๐ Welcome to your weekly film happenings dropโฆ
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AROUND TOWN
Film screenings & events in Edinburgh and Glasgow ๐ฟ
EDINBURGH
FILM SCREENINGS:
Glimmers / Los Destellos + Q&A with director Pilar Palomero / Isabel's life changes when her daughter asks her to visit Ramรณn, her critically ill ex-husband. As old resentments resurface, caring for Ramรณn during his vulnerability gives Isabel a new perspective on their failed relationship and helps her focus on her present life. Part of the Catalan Film Festival that runs until Sunday 30th March / The Cameo / 25 March, 7.45pm
GFT / 26 March, 8pm (sent by CinemaAttic)
The Last Black Man in San Francisco / Jimmie Fails hopes to reclaim the home built by his grandfather in this beautiful meditation on gentrification, masculinity and belonging / Grassmarket Community Picturehouse / 26 March, 7pm
IF family screening / Free food + film screening - A young girl who goes through a difficult experience begins to see everyone's imaginary friends who have been left behind as their real-life friends have grown up. / Whale Arts / 26 March, 6pm
War Paint: Women at War + recorded Q&A / Shining a light on the trailblazing role of women war artists, on the front lines round the world, championing the female perspective on conflict through art and asking: when it's life or death, what do women see that men don't? The 20-minute discussion includes director Margy Kinmonth, as well as featured artist Marcelle Hanselaar and composer Charli Mackie. / The Cameo / 26 March, 5.50pm
Period End of Sentence / Come along to watch Oscar award-winning documentary 'Period End of Sentence' and have the chance to speak to the director herself! / Adam House, Uni. of Edinburgh / 26 March, 2pm
Effi Briest Screening / Join us for a screening of a representation of classic "Effi Briest" - a captivating story of love, betrayal, and societal expectations! / Adam House, Uni. of Edinburgh / 26 March, 7pm
Papicha - Algerian cinema / Algeria, 1990s. Nedjma, an 18 year-old student passionate about fashion design refuses to let the tragic events of the Algerian Civil War to keep her from experiencing a normal life and going out. / French Institute / 26 March, 2pm
Buster Keatonโs โThe Generalโ / Live piano accompaniment from Graham McDonald to this silent classic, one of cinemaโs greatest comedies! Consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made, Buster Keatonโs The General is so brilliantly conceived and executed that it continues to inspire awe and laughter with every viewing. / Porty Wash House / 30 March, 7.30pm (doors at 6.30pm)
EVENTS:
TALK: Director Alba Bresolรญ on the organic process of creation in non-fiction in relation to her short film El Bon Auguri (The Good Omen). She will be discussing how the film developed naturally rather than following a rigid script, the role of observation, intuition, and adaptation in shaping the narrative, as well as what it means for the film to have been produced by a museum / Edinburgh Cine and Video Society / 28 March, 4pm (sent by CinemaAttic)
Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme / The Japan Foundation, London has run an annual Japanese film programme with UK partners since 2004. They curate themed selections of contemporary, classic, and anime films that deserve UK exposure. Their programme highlights Japanese cinema's trends, versatility, and uniqueness / The Cameo / Until 31 March various times
We Are Here Scotland Presents: Creators' Showcase / Celebrate Scotland's Black and Global Majority creative talent with art, performance, music, film, food and more at this dynamic showcase. / Assembly Roxy / 29 March, 2pm
We Are Fugazi from Washington D.C (rescheduled) / We Are Fugazi from Washington, D.C. comprises crowd-sourced, fan-recorded live shows and rare archive footage of Fugazi curated by Joe Gross, Joseph Pattisall and Jeff Krulik / THE CAMEO / 26 March, 5.45pm
GLASGOW
FILM SCREENINGS:
The Outrun / A raw and powerful drama that explores addiction, recovery and mental health, starring Saoirse Ronan, based on the true story of Amy Liptrot. / Arlington Baths Club / 29 March 6pm
Celebrate the art of Kaijลซ โ classic stop-motion Japanese monster films including the greatest beast of them all - Godzilla! A fantastic day / The Pyramid at Anderston / 29 March, 7pm
Spotlight by Tom McCarthy / JMC Film Night showing of Spotlight, 2016's Best Picture winner, which tells the true story of the Boston Globe's investigative team as they expose a scandal within the Catholic Church. / Learning & Teaching Building Strathclyde Uni / 27 March, 5pm
The Lotus Club Documentary Series / Screening of โ100 Bq/kg, 0.23 ยตSv/h, the standard of living in Fukushimaโ (2014, 43 mins) - curated by two Glasgow-based Japanese journalists. / Kelvin Hall Open Collections / 26 March, 6pm
Woodlands Anti-Racist Film Club screening of The Queen Of My Dreams (2023) / Pay what you can screening - Queer Muslim graduate student Azra, returns to her native Pakistan after her fatherโs unexpected passing reconnecting with her strictly religious mother, Miriam. Despite the distance and ideological divide that have driven them apart, Azra and Miriam forge a new bond at the intersection of East and West. / Flourish House / 25 March, 5.30pm
DISCOMANIA! Book launch + screening of The Music Machine / Join FrightFest and Trieste Science+Fiction Festival head honcho Alan Jones to celebrate the publication of his autobiography Discomania + an audience Q&A / GFT / 29 March, 7.30pm
Image from GFT website The Garden + Q&A / Derek Jarmanโs The Garden followed by a Q&A chaired by Dr Dominic Paterson, curator of Digging in Another Time: Derek Jarmanโs Modern Nature at Hunterian Art Gallery. / GFT / 30 March, 4.40pm
EVENTS:
Filmmaking Workshops for QTIPOC+ / โCollaging our Filmsโ SQIFF and Exhale Group CIC filmmaking workshop session for QTIPOC+ to learn and experience accessible ways to make a film. / Transmission Gallery / 30 March 2pm
FURTHER AFIELD AND FURTHER AHEAD!
Film-related treats happening around the UK!
DUNDEE - Changemakers in Action / Get ready for a night of inspiration and action in Dundee with a film screening and panel discussion highlighting community changemakers! / ScrapAntics Community space / 27 March, 4.30pm
NEWCASTLE - Cinemania presents Strange Vices and Bloody Blades / A two-day festival of Italian giallo films - stylish, sleazy, and shocking murder mysteries full of strange twists and turns. We'll have video introductions from several guest speakers, along with a newly written zine and a giallo bingo card! FULL PROGRAMME HERE / Star & Shadow / 29 & 30 March 2025 (Sent by Cinemania)
BERWICK UPON TWEED - BFI Doc Society & Film Hub North Mixer @ Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival / Join BFI Doc Society & Film Hub North at BFMAF for a tea or coffee, followed by a roundtable about our funds and development opportunities / Maltings Berwick / 28 March, 3.30pm
In fact, Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival is worth checking out in general! It runs until 30th March: โThe Festival enacts pluralist ideas of contemporary cinema, its history and curation. Short, medium or feature-length Festival selections can include arthouse, documentary or genre cinema; artistsโ moving image and sound; world premieres and freshly restored archival titles; or live, installation-based or performative works of cinema. Together, they hold shared and overlapping interests in asking what new cinema might be.โ
LONDON - Kimโs Video + DIRECTOR Q&A! / Cinetopia (yes, us!) are taking Sundance documentary Kimโs Video on tour. A madcap quest to find the lost 55,000-videotape archive from NYCโs cult Kimโs Video rental store, this is a genre-bending film perfect for lovers of physical media, cinema, and video culture!/ The Garden Cinema / 25 March, 6pm
OPPORTUNITIES
JOBS / WORK OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP:
Producer, Manipulate Arts / Leading on delivery of all our projects and activities including the international Manipulate Festival / SCOTLAND / ยฃ35,000 per annum, Deadline, 24 March
Operations Coordinator - Leith Theatre / Responsible for overseeing daily logistics, providing excellent customer care and helping to manage the wide range of activity hosted by Leith Theatre / Apply before 28 March
Technical Assistant - CCA Glasgow / ยฃ29, 311 FTE (pro rata) this role will work closely with the Technical Manager to ensure the successful delivery of all CCA activities, including venue hires and in-house events. / Deadline 4 April
Screen Education Edinburgh has a number of positions: Deadline, 4 April
Seeking to recruit a new Chairperson, Secretary, and additional Trustees to our Board, including those with skills or experience in the following areas.
- Education
- Film and TV production
- Fundraising, development, and sponsorship
- HR
- Youth and community development
Film-poem collaboration - Sue Mara Photography / Artist-writer seeking art film maker who would be interested to explore a film poem/poetry-film collaboration / Deadline 30 April
Rooted Creatives Membership / Become a member of our new creatives group to support and connect with freelancers working across Scotland. / Apply before 30 June 2025
Creative Edinburgh Mentoring Programme now open / The Creative Edinburgh Mentoring Programme is perfect for creatives who are seeking guidance, advice and expertise in their respective creative fields. It is your go-to resource for boosting confidence, acquiring knowledge, honing skills and unlocking your full potential! / Deadline: 24 March 2025
COURSES & WORKSHOPS:
The Edinburgh Pitch / The Edinburgh Pitch, acclaimed international pitching forum and networking opportunity for the independent documentary sector / Scottish Documentary Institute / Deadline 23 March, 11pm
Introduction to 2D Drawn Animation Course / This 4 day course will consist of practical workshops that will focus on world-building and creating short animated sequences with 2D Digital drawing techniques, 8-11 April / NFTS SCOTLAND / Apply by 24 March
London Screenwriters Weekend FREE online industry workshops / Apply before 26 March, 5pm
Learn the Art of Directing - a Workshop / Join award-winning director John McPhail for a full-day workshop designed to enhance your filmmaking skills in a practical, hands-on setting / Gmac Glasgow / 5 April, 10am-5pm
Screen Combat Course / Learn smallsword stage and screen combat, putting performance in action through choreographed swordplay - organised by Stage Fight Scotland / From 7-12 April
Screenwriting Online - 10 week course (online) / Mondays, 6.30pm - 8.30pm
- This ten week online course is ideal for any students who are keen to develop their writing technique and challenge themselves as screenwriters. This course will develop your skills as a screenwriter, focusing on in-depth study of structure, character and dialogue/ Royal Conservatoire Scotland / 15 April - 17 June 2024NFTS: Interviewing for Documentary and Factual Filmmaker / From actuality interviews to formal sit-downs, we will spend two days developing your interviewing skills and experimenting with different techniques and approach / NFTS Scotland / 8 & 9 May
Story for Pitch Decks / Youโve got a great idea and a script you think industry producers and execs should read. But how do you convince them? 2 day course / ONLINE / 6 + 20 June
FUNDING / AWARDS / FESTIVALS:
FESTIVALS LOOKING FOR FILM SUBMISSIONS:
Festival of Fantastic Film - Manchester / This unique international celebration of horror, science fiction and fantasy cinema has attracted some of the biggest names in the industry since 1990. / Early Deadline 31 March
Kino London Short Film Festival (BIFA qualifying) / We know that true diversity comes from having a diverse programming team who, as filmmakers themselves, understand that beautifully, polished, well-crafted films can still be made by talented working class individuals at the beginning stages of their creative careers. / Deadline 31 March (ultra-extended)
SQIFF - Scottish Queer International Film Festival / Open for short film submissions to the 2025 edition of their festival that runs 28th October โ 1st November. Submission fees are pay what you can / Deadline 20 April
LandxSea Festival Montrose / Scotlandโs leading environmental film festival, we celebrate bold, thought-provoking storytelling that challenges, inspires, and connects audiences to the planetโs most pressing issues / Submissions close on 21 April
Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025 / Festival will run from 14-20 August / Deadline: 18 April
Edinburgh Short Film Festival / The 15th edition with International Film Festival showcases, more short film screenings, trophies, cash prizes and awards! / Regular deadline 16 May
FUNDS, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS:
BFI Network Short Film Fund I Awarding National Lottery funding between ยฃ5,000 and ยฃ25,000 to support shortform live action, animation and immersive/virtual reality. / Deadline, 25 March
Slick Films Fund / Slick Films invites writers, directors, and producers from all over the world to submit their original, compelling narratives for a chance to receive ยฃ10,000 in production funding. / Deadline 25 March
Scottish Delegation at Sheffield DocFest 2025 / We invite Scotland-based emerging talent as well as established producers and filmmakers to apply for a funded opportunity to attend the festival as delegates - From Scottish Documentary Institute / Apply before 28 March
Film Hub Scotland Film Exhibition Fund / Apply for up to ยฃ10,000 / First deadline, 28 March
CABN Small Grants Fund / A fund offering awards of up to ยฃ2000 to creative practitioners living in the Scottish Borders by the Creative Arts Business Network / Deadline, 31 March
Culture & Business Scotland Fund / Culture organisations in arts and heritage can now apply to the C&BS Fund, designed to support innovative and mutually beneficial partnerships between culture and business organisations across Scotland, for up to ยฃ1 for every ยฃ2 of sponsorship invested by business organisations / Until 31 March
The Female Voices Short Film Fund / Grants of up to ยฃ7,000 / $10,000 are available towards the production costs of all scripted genres and documentary short film content / Deadlines: Regular: 31 March
Screen Scotland Market & Festival Attendance Fund / This fund supports the progression of film and TV projects through attendance at key UK (outside of Scotland) and international markets and festivals / Until 1 April
Screen Scotland Distribution Fund / Supports the distribution of Scottish feature films to reach a wide and diverse audience in Scotland / Until 1 April
Changing Perspectives Film Fund / UK Jewish Film is delighted to announce the launch of a new film fund for 2025, which will support the production of three high-quality, dramatic short films (approximately 15 minutes each), aimed at teenagers, and set in present-day Britain / First deadline 21 April
Vimeo Short Film Grant / Lights, camera, funded ๐ฌ Weโre delighted to support the next generation of filmmakers with the inaugural VIMEO Short Film Grant, Presented by Nikon USA and @reddigitalcinema - Apply before 18 April
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
Reel Impact / Igniting change and creating equity for Black and Global Majority professionals in the TV and Film industry, from WFTV - grants for individuals and organisations / Sign up here for news of the next round of funding
On the March edition of the Cinetopia Radio show and podcast, Cinetopia's Amanda Rogers is joined by show regulars Simon Bowie, Garry Arnot and Robert Ewing, who cover this year's Glasgow Film Festival - including reviews of Nocturnal, Peacock, Homegrown, and Stealing Pulp Fiction. We also review new release films currently out in cinemas including Mickey 17, On Falling, and The Last Showgirl.
Amanda also talks with Allison Strauss, Founder and Festival Director of HippFest, Scotland's first and only festival of silent film with live music, which s happening right now from 19th-23rd of March.
NEWS:
Film stories, productions, news, reports, industry insights, and other tidbits that have caught our attention this week!
Creative freelancers are being worked to the bone... before they get the job - Directors UK
BBC commissions new drama Grams from award-winning writer and director James Price - Screen Scotland
Six talking points from the UK exhibition sectorโs annual conference - Screen Daily
Film Festivals currently running / coming up:
Berwick Film & Arts Festival / 27-30 March / Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Cinรฉma du rรฉel Documentary Festival / 22-29 March / Paris, France
CPH:DOX / 19-31 March / Copenhagen, Denmark
Queer East Film Festival / 17-28 April / Multiple locations, UK
Alchemy Film & Arts / 1-4 May - Hawick, Scottish Borders