Cinetopia Recommends: 5-11 January 2026

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... 🎉

From the editor’s desk: HAPPY NEW YEAR! Fellow movie nerds, film buffs, cinephiles - welcome back, welcome to 2026! 🎉 If you have suggestions or ideas of what you’d like to see more of this year in the newsletter (or less of!) - drop us a comment on this post, or a DM!

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AROUND TOWN

Film screenings & events in Edinburgh and Glasgow 🍿

EDINBURGH

FILM SCREENINGS:

• OUR PICKS FROM THE FILMHOUSE:

  • Frederick Wiseman Season: With a groundbreaking career spanning seven decades, Frederick Wiseman is one of the great American storytellers.

    His documentaries, shot vérité-style, are meticulously edited narratives chronicling life’s complexities through rich portraits of social and cultural institutions. Through January, the Filmhouse will explore a selection of his films in loosely thematic and chronological order, looking first at renowned films about public institutions, followed by works grounded in a strong sense of place, before concluding with a group of films about cultural life. All films are new digital restorations, which were overseen by Wiseman himself. Starting 10 Jan, multiple screenings and dates:

    • The Store - 10 Jan, 3.15pm

    • Titicut Follies - 10 Jan, 1.15pm

    • High School - 11 Jan, 1pm

    • Multi-Handicapped - 11 Jan, 3pm

  • FULL PROGRAMME HERE

    NOTE: Book tickets for two or more Frederick Wiseman films to receive a discount! Tickets can also be bought separately.

    

    Still from Frederick Wiseman’s Titicut Follies.

  • Khartoum (documentary): Five lives, one city, a nation at war. A civil servant, a tea lady, a resistance committee volunteer and two street boys. Five stories from Sudan weave together in search of freedom through animated dreams, street revolutions and a war from the metropolis of Khartoum to escape in East Africa. Part of ‘Voices and Visions of Sudan’, a touring programme curated by Telal Afiifi that invites viewers to engage with Sudan as a living cultural landscape shaped by memory, struggle, and imagination. - 7 Jan, 3.30pm & 6pm

  • Jenin, Jenin (documentary - Falastin Frames): ‘Where is God?’ an elderly man desperately wonders when surveying the debris in the Palestinian refugee camp Jenin. The film includes testimony from Jenin residents after the zionist occupation’s Defensive Wall operation, during which the city and camp were the scenes of fierce fighting. 8 Jan, 6pm

  • Yi Yi (4K Restoration): The extraordinary, internationally embraced Yi Yi (A One and a Two...), directed by the late Taiwanese master Edward Yang, follows a middle-class family in Taipei over the course of one year, beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral. 11 Jan, 7pm (and further screenings)

    

    Still from YiYi

  • Hamnet + Reclaim the Frame introduction: With introduction from Reclaim the Frame, which will reflect on the power of community and nature, as depicted through this magnificently crafted tale. Hamnet is the poignant and powerful tale of love and loss that inspired William Shakespeare to write his classic tragedy, Hamlet. Directed by Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) who co-wrote the film with Maggie O'Farrell, author of the novel it is adapted from, the film features two more potential Oscar-winning performances from Irish actors Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes (Anne in real life) Hathaway and William Shakespeare. 11 Jan, 4.15pm - also on with Reclaim the Frame introduction at Glasgow Film Theatre, 7 Jan , 5.45pm
    

• OUR PICKS FROM THE CAMEO:

  • Blue Velvet (40th anniversary): The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child. From 5 Jan, multiple screenings

  • The History of Sound preview: In 1917, Lionel (Paul Mescal) — a young, talented music student — meets David (Josh O’Connor) at the Boston Conservatory, where they bond over a deep love of folk music.

    Years later, Lionel receives a letter from David, leading to an impromptu journey through the backwoods of Maine to collect traditional songs. This unexpected reunion, ensuing love affair, and the music they collect and preserve, will shape the course of Lionel’s life far beyond his own awareness. 6 Jan, 5.45pm

    

    Still from The History of Sound

  • Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire: In Wings of Desire, director Wim Wenders’ most metaphysical work, a guardian angel desires nothing more than to be human. Every day, Dammiel (Bruno Ganz, Downfall) listens to the thoughts of mortals who play their lives out on the streets of West Berlin.

    He soon finds himself entranced by a trapeze artist whose eloquent expression of her doubts and fears makes him yearn for a life where he can feel happiness and love. From 7 Jan, multiple screenings.

  • Ingmar Bergman’s Persona: Bergman’s modernist masterpiece explores the volatile relationship between an actress and her nurse. After a mischievous montage ‘explaining’ the film’s origins, the narrative proper gets underway, charting the increasingly tense battle of wits between the chatty Alma (Andersson) and the mute Elisabet (Ullmann), who are isolated together in a cottage on the island of Fårö. From 11 Jan, multiple screenings

AROUND TOWN:

• Gorillas in the Mist (1988): Sigourney Weaver stars as Dian Fossey, a conservationist who studied and fought to protect mountain gorillas. GRASSMARKET PICTUREHOUSE - 7 Jan, 7pm

  

  Still from Gorillas in the Mist

EVENTS:

• Film Club: SINNERS: The Edinburgh ‘Like A Book Group But With Films’ Group meets every other Thursday to chat films and TV! It's a brilliant group, come along! Watch Sinners in your own time, then come along to discuss. BENNETS BAR - 8 Jan, 7.30pm

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GLASGOW

FILM SCREENINGS:

• OUR PICKS FROM GFT:

  • Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros (documentary): Founded in 1930, Troisgros has held three Michelin stars for 55 years. From the daily market to the cheese maturing cellars, via the vineyard, the cattle farm and the vegetable garden adjacent to the restaurant, Menus-Plaisirs is an intimate, sensory journey through the kitchens of one of the world's most prestigious restaurants. 5 Jan, 6.15pm & 8 Jan, 3.20pm

    

    Still from Menus Plaisirs

  • The Apartment - 4K Restoration: One of the all-time greats and a beloved film with GFT audiences, The Apartment continues to resonate as an acerbic takedown of corporate morality and a bittersweet love story. A sparkling script, career-best performances from Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine and stunning black and white widescreen imagery combine to perfection in this undisputed classic. 6 Jan, 5pm

  • Jean Luc Godard’s Breathless (A bout de souffle): Small-time crook Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo), styling himself after Humphrey Bogart, panics during a car theft and fatally shoots a policeman. On the run, he hides out with his aspiring journalist girlfriend, Patricia (Jean Seberg), in her Paris apartment while trying to scrape together enough cash for an escape to Italy. But once Patricia discovers he’s wanted for murder, her loyalty wavers. Part of GFT’s CineMasters: Jean-Luc Godard season. 7 Jan, 8.45pm

  • A Woman Is a Woman (Une femme est une femme): Jean-Luc Godard’s third feature, and his first in color, is a buoyant romantic comedy set amid the cafés, cabarets, and streets of 1960s Paris. The film follows a dancer (Anna Karina) longing for a child that her partner (Jean-Claude Brialy) refuses to have, a tension that becomes a love triangle when his best friend (Jean-Paul Belmondo) steps in with an unexpected offer. 11 Jan, 2pm

    

    Still from Une femme est une femme

  • Take 2: Spy Kids: Every child attending a Take 2 screening receives a free ticket for themselves and one free tickets for their accompanying adult. Free tickets are only issued on the day of the screening. Carmen and Juni think their parents are boring. Little do they know that in their day, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez were the top secret agents from their respective countries. 10 Jan, 11.30am

AROUND TOWN:

• Wicked for Good: Now demonised as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba lives in exile in the Ozian forest, while Glinda resides at the palace in Emerald City, reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, she'll need to reunite with Glinda to transform herself, and all of Oz, for good. THE PYRAMID AT ANDERSTON - 10 Jan, 1pm

• I Swear (15): An account of the life of John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome campaigner who grew up with the condition in 1980s Scotland, at a time when it was little known and misunderstood. Tuck-shop selling popcorn, hot drinks, sweets and juice will be open for 30 minutes from doors open. THE PYRAMID AT ANDERSTON - 10 Jan, 4pm

  

  Poster for I Swear

• Sing-a-long The Greatest Showman: Cheer on Hugh Jackman, lust after Zac Efron and hiss Rebecca Ferguson as you experience The Greatest Showman in the greatest way possible - with lyrics on the screen so you can join in as loud as you want. And it’s marching on to the beat we drum. Our live host will teach you a unique set of dance moves that will truly make you come alive. As they show you how to use our interactive prop bags. THE KING’S THEATRE - 10 Jan, 7pm
  

EVENTS:

• Retro Reels: Step back in time at Riverside Museum and immerse yourself in the unforgettable world of 1980s cinema, on a nostalgic journey through the props, stories, and creativity that shaped a generation. THE RIVERSIDE MUSEUM - from 10-29 Jan

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FURTHER AFIELD AND FURTHER AHEAD

Film-related treats happening around the rest of Scotland and UK!

• EDINBURGH: Cinetopia DOC presents Agatha’s Almanac + Recorded Q&A - Fiercely independent 90-year-old Agatha Bock lives alone on her ancestral farm. Despite health challenges, she defiantly tends to her land, cultivating heirloom seeds passed down through generations. Employing antiquated techniques, Agatha plants and harvests her expansive field of watermelons, beans, flowers, herbs, and vegetables entirely by hand. Without a car, cell phone, running water, or even a functioning landline, Agatha’s meditative processes and daily rituals form a vivid counterpoint to the rapid pace of contemporary life. Made intentionally with sensory sensitive viewers in mind, the film carves out a (mostly) calm space in a chaotic world. Q&A with director Amalie Atkins. FILMHOUSE - 21 Jan, 8.15pm

  

  Still from Agatha’s Almanac

• DUMFRIES: Reel to Real - Power Station: Sharing the new documentary Power Station by artist-activists Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell. Working to turn a street and local schools solar, Power Station is a scalable in-your-face prototype of community led power. Channelling Withnail and I and Ealing comedy the film charts the financial and emotional trials and tribulations of making change together. THE STOVE NETWORK - 9 Jan, 7pm

• MONTROSE: LandxSea Monthly - Folktales: A heart-warming, uplifting documentary about the irrepressible bond between humans and their dogs, set against an inhospitable landscape of northernmost Norway. recently shortlisted for the 2026 Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature. MONTROSE PLAYHOUSE - 12 Jan, 7.30pm

  

  FOLKTALES - Montrose LandxSea Monthly

• CRIEFF: The Ballad of Wallis Island: Charles, an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island dreams of getting his favourite band back together. COMRIE COMMUNITY CINEMA - 11 Jan, 7.30pm

• DUNDEE: David Bowie - The Final Act: Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the passing of David Bowie, this film will reveal how Bowie’s last chapter became a resurrection, culminating in the haunting and transformative Blackstar, an album that redefined his legacy and offered a profound metaphor for his life, death, and the mysterious power of creativity. DCA - 9 Jan, 2pm & 11 Jan, 12pm

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Catch up on the December edition of Cinetopia Radio Show!

Cinetopia Radio host Amanda Rogers is joined by Cinetopia contributors Isy Santini and Kat Zabecka for the final episode of 2025, looking at Kontinental ’25, Pillion, Alpha and Christy. Listen now on SPOTIFY or APPLE RADIO

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OPPORTUNITIES

JOBS / WORK OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP:

• Marketing Manager - Edinburgh International Film Festival: Fixed term contract. January 2026 – October 2026, Salary: £31,000 - £35,000 / apply by 6pm on Monday 5 January 2026

• Trustee: Scottish Youth Film Foundation: Scottish Youth Film Foundation (SYFF) is seeking new Board Members, including a Chair, to help guide and support us in our mission to improve the life outcomes of young Scots through film.Three-year initial term. Board members will need to attend quarterly Board meetings (in person at our Edinburgh office, or online) / apply by 12 January

• Volunteer at MOVE SUmmit: Salary: Expenses of up to £40 per day. Scotland’s animation gathering brings together creatives from film, television, advertising and games to celebrate the joy of making things move – and we’re looking for your help! Apply by 21 January

• Sheffield Doc Fest multiple roles:

  • Box Office Manager

  • Talks & Sessions Programme Coordinator

  • Senior Production Coordinator

  • Venue Coordinator

  • Volunteer Coordinator

Apply by 14 January

• Outreach & Communications Worker (2026 Film Tour) - Unsolicited Films | Support required for a small-scale UK screening tour planned for 2026. The film is a completed 57-minute independent documentary by Glasgow-based filmmaker Zac Burger. Fully remote, email based role, 25–30 total hours of work delivered over 8–10 weeks (roughly 3 hours per week). Fee: £1,800–£2,600, depending on experience. Deadline, 1 February 8.45am

COURSES & WORKSHOPS:

• BECTU Vision - Introduction to Cleaner Power on Location: Get the lowdown on cleaner power tech in Film and Television at this session with BAFTA albert and Culture for Climate Scotland. For experienced crew in Locations and Production departments. PARKHOUSE BUSINESS CENTRE, GLASGOW - 16 Jan, 10am - 1pm

• BECTU Vision - Hit the Ground Running: A free 2-day course offering practical training and advice for those starting out in the Production, Assistant Director and Locations departments in film and TV, in Scotland. Sessions in Edinburgh (February) and Glasgow (March). Apply by 19 Jan

• MOVE Summit: Move Summit is Scotland’s Animation Gathering. Our annual conference in Edinburgh brings together creatives from film, television, advertising, games, and immersive arts to celebrate the art, craft and business of making things move. This flagship industry event showcases the best work from around the world and offers a place for industry leaders, support agencies, practitioners, educators and students to gather and get inspired. PLEASANCE, EDINBURGH - 18-21 Feb

  

  Move Summit

• INTO FILM’s Film Education Forum: Into Film and Children’s and Youth Arts Advocacy (CYAA) invite you to a morning of discussion, inspiration and learning on 20 January 2026. We welcome arts education organisations, sector support bodies, practitioners and educators to:
  - discuss how Scotland’s newly-launched Film and Screen Curriculum will impact our work with children and young people
  - learn about how Into Film can support you to engage with it
  - be inspired by projects that already use film to enhance their work in cross-arts education

  THE BOARDWALK, GLASGOW - 20 Jan, 9.30am - 2pm

• HORIZONS-2 the training scheme for emerging independent screen production companies is accepting initial applications from Glasgow-based companies! apply by 9 January

• Pitching and Pitch Decks with John Yorke: Course Date: Thursday 12 & Friday 13 February 2026, A hands-on two day course with script guru John Yorke exploring the skills, psychology and content required for delivering perfect pitches. / This session is specifically for established film and television practitioners based in Scotland. / Apply by 12 January

• Post Production for Production Roles Course: Boost your HETV production skills with ScreenSkills’ fully funded Post-Production course: learn workflows, budgeting, scheduling and delivery to become a stronger producer or PM in Scotland. Feb-March 22026 / NFTS / Apply by 15 Jan 2026

• First Steps in Scripted -Pitches & Treatments | This one-day practical workshop introduces new and emerging writers to the professional world of pitching for scripted television. (Online, 28th January) with NFTS - Apply before 14 January

• BFI Film Academy Specialist Residential 2026: Film Curation and Archiving | Showroom Cinema - Do you have a curiosity in film preservation? Would you like to understand how to programme archive or classic films? We are searching for talented, enthusiastic and hard-working 16-19 years olds from across the UK to take part in this week-long, in person residential course. The course is free to take part in, and we have a generous bursary scheme that can cover the cost of travel or access requirements to ensure that the programme is as accessible as possible. I Apply by 16th January 2026

  

  Photo from Sheffield Showroom Cinema/BFI

  Storytelling for Animation: A three-day workshop designed to be informative and hands-on, helping you turn your idea into a narrative for animation.

  The days will be split between talks introducing storytelling concepts and developing your own ideas. Students from previous workshops have gone on to use their animatic to seek funding and create award-winning short animations. NFTS Scotland 25-27 March, apply by 15 March

• Introduction to Digital Animation | In this beginner course, you will be introduced to the core techniques of 2D digital animation using Adobe After Effects on Mac computers. You will be supported to develop creative ideas through moving images, using storyboarding, composition design, and sound integration. Through hands-on exercises, you will build practical skills to plan and create short animated sequences. | Centre for Open Learning, University of Edinburgh | Starts 16 January 2026

• TEACHERS’ ONLINE FILM AND SCREEN TRAINING SESSIONS | Online training sessions for teachers in the new Film and Screen curriculum.

  Following the announcement of the national rollout of Film and Screen into the Curriculum for Excellence as an expressive art, Screen Scotland is delighted to invite all teachers in primary and secondary settings from across Scotland to participate in the first in a series of training sessions on delivering the Film and Screen Curriculum. | Screen Scotland | Online workshops will run on Tuesdays or Thursdays until 17 March 2026

AWARDS / FESTIVALS:

• FESTIVALS / ORGS LOOKING FOR FILM SUBMISSIONS:

  • SI-FAN 2026 - SI-FAN is Scotland’s newest genre festival, with the aim of being the coolest film festival in Scotland and supporting the genre filmmaking community here. SI-FAN (Scottish International Fantastic Arts Network) is open for short film submissions. There is a dedicated Scottish short film award category. Deadline to submit: 22 February 2026 at 23:55

FUNDS, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, MENTORSHIPS:

• Audience Data & Analytical Services: Funding for an organisation to provide specialist audience data and analytical services for the arts, screen and creative industries. Apply by 29 January

• Gaelic Arts Funding Opportunity – GUIR! 2026: We are inviting artists of all disciplines to submit proposals for this opportunity to develop Gaelic Art projects in their early stages. Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers welcome. Apply by 25 Jan

• 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

• OPEN CALL: Community Filmmaking Workshops | Apply now to host a one-day introductory filmmaking workshop in your community. Opening Shot’s Community Workshops Fund supports locally rooted workshops across Scotland. | Deadline: February 2026

• BFI Creative Fund Opens | UK screen organisations can apply for funding ranging from £12,000 to £150,000 | Ongoing until March 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

• Meanwhile Use Fund (Glasgow) | The Meanwhile Use Fund, part of the City Centre Improvement Grant Fund, is designed to help organisations and communities in Glasgow city centre make use of empty or vacant properties. The fund aims to support projects that improve the city’s appearance and inclusivity. | Apply before 1 April 2026

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NEWS:

Film stories, productions, news, reports, industry insights, and other tidbits that have caught our attention this week!

• 99% of UK film and TV performers prepared to take industrial action over AI, reveals Equity vote

• Women and non-binary filmmakers direct just 16% of films released in UK-Ire in 2025

• Introducing the First Draft screenwriters: a new year-long programme supporting new and emerging screenwriters based across Scotland.

• The best Scottish films and TV shows to seek out in 2026 (from The Herald)

  

  Still from California Schemin', which is based on the true story of Scottish rap duo Silibil N' Brains.

Film Festivals currently running / coming up:

• London Short Film Festival / 17-26 Jan / London, UK

• Partick Film Festival / 19-25 January, Scotland, UK

• Rotterdam Film Festival / 29 Jan – 8 Feb 2026 / Rotterdam, NE

• Sundance Film Festival / 22 Jan –1 Feb 2026 / Park City, UT

• Berlinale / 12–22 Feb 2026 / Berlin, Germany

• Dublin International Film Festival / 19 Feb - 1 Mar / Dublin, Ireland

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