Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026 
The Story So Far

The Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026 is now well under way, and already this year’s festival has brought a fantastic mixture of new films, world premieres, special screenings and familiar faces to Edinburgh.

Running from 13–19 August, the 79th edition of EIFF once again puts independent filmmaking firmly at the centre of the programme. For me, one of the most exciting things about a film festival is having the opportunity to see something genuinely new – sometimes a film that has never been shown to a public audience anywhere before.

And there is certainly plenty of that at Edinburgh this year.

The Incomer Gets EIFF Under Way

The festival opened with The Incomer, the debut feature from Edinburgh-born director Louis Paxton.

Starring Gayle Rankin, Grant O’Rourke and Domhnall Gleeson, the film provided a suitably Scottish beginning to this year’s festival and immediately put new filmmaking at the heart of EIFF.

There is always something special about an opening night in Edinburgh, but having a new film from an Edinburgh filmmaker launching the festival made this one particularly appropriate.

A Festival Full of New Films

What has really impressed me about EIFF 2026 is just how many new films there are to discover.

Among this year's world premieres is Out There, directed by Simon Ryninks. 

The film follows teenage astronomer Maz, who becomes convinced that she has spotted something mysterious above her Welsh hometown while still dealing with the disappearance of her scientist father.

It sounds exactly like the sort of unusual independent film that a festival such as Edinburgh should be giving audiences the chance to discover.

Another world premiere is Pretty Babies, directed by Tyler-Marie Evans. 

It follows two young girls who leave their hometown in pursuit of the Hollywood they have imagined from classic films, only for their American dream to begin falling apart as their journey progresses.

Then there are Sacred Creatures, 

Frieda Luk's new film is about three estranged siblings reunited in rural Italy following their sister's release from psychiatric treatment. It promises something rather different again, with family relationships and personal beliefs at the centre of the story.

Snapshot – A Very Different Kind of Horror

One film that certainly stands out from the programme is Snapshot, the feature debut from director Joseph Archer.

The film presents supposedly newly discovered footage from late 19th-century London involving an all-female ghost-hunting society and a new technology that may have the ability to capture something rather unexpected.

It is an intriguing idea and another example of the variety within this year's festival.

That is one of the great things about EIFF. You can move from comedy and drama to documentary, horror and experimental cinema, often within the space of a single afternoon.

Skintown and The State of Us

Also receiving their world premieres are Skintown and The State of Us.

The State of Us, directed by Ollie Gardner and Jake Harvey, follows Frankie, who breaks his best friend Taylor out of hospice care for one final night together.

It sounds like a film capable of moving between humour and something considerably more emotional, and it is another of the films competing at EIFF this year.

The selection of new films demonstrates just how important festivals such as Edinburgh remain for filmmakers. These films arrive without decades of reputation behind them. Audiences are seeing them fresh, often without really knowing what to expect.

There is something exciting about that.

Bad Day at the Office Brings the Madness

At the other end of the spectrum is Bad Day at the Office, starring John Hannah.

Directed by Chee Keong Cheung, the action thriller is shot entirely from a first-person perspective and follows Karl, played by Hannah, who wakes in a wrecked hotel room with no memory of what happened the previous night.

Discovering a dead body in the bath is probably a fairly good indication that his day is not going to improve.

The film received its world premiere at EIFF on 13 August as the opening film of the festival's Midnight Madness strand.

The late-night strand has become a great part of EIFF, providing a home for films that are deliberately a little stranger, wilder or more outrageous than the conventional festival screening.

Trainspotting Comes Home

One of the biggest moments of EIFF so far, however, has involved a film that is certainly not new.

Trainspotting returned to Edinburgh to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

The special event at Leith Theatre on Friday 14 August was much more than another screening of Danny Boyle's landmark film.

The evening included a live cast and crew commentary before continuing with a club night featuring Irvine Welsh and Darren Emerson of Underworld.

Thirty years after its original release, Trainspotting remains inseparable from Edinburgh in the minds of many people around the world.

Bringing it back to Leith felt like bringing the film home.

For me, this has been one of the standout moments of EIFF 2026 so far.

New Scottish Stories

There is also a particularly strong Scottish presence throughout the programme.

Alongside The Incomer, audiences can discover films including The Education of Jane Cumming, Borges and Me, Mission and These Violent Delights.

It is good to see Edinburgh providing a major platform for films with Scottish connections while continuing to welcome filmmakers and stories from around the world.

That balance between international cinema and home-grown filmmaking has always been an important part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Queen at Sea and More Still to Discover

There is plenty more to come before the festival ends.

Queen at Sea, directed by Lance Hammer and starring Tom Courtenay, is among this year's UK premieres, while the programme also contains films including Hungry, Mi Amor, Capsized, Imposters, The Best Summer and The Last Resort.

Some will undoubtedly divide opinion. Others may disappear from view after the festival circuit.

But there will almost certainly be a few that go on to much bigger things.

That is part of the fun.

You are watching these films before anyone really knows which ones people will still be talking about a year from now.

The Sean Connery Prize

Ten world-premiere feature films are also competing for the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, worth £50,000.

It is a significant prize and an important opportunity for independent filmmakers.

Edinburgh has a long history of recognising filmmakers before they became household names, and I think it is important that the modern festival continues that tradition rather than simply relying on established films and famous faces.

Bel Will Bring the Festival to a Close

There is also a particularly poignant film waiting at the end of this year's festival.

The closing-night film will be the world premiere of Bel, directed by Louise Lockwood.

The documentary tells the story of Beldina Odenyo, the Kenyan-Scottish musician, singer and songwriter who performed as Heir of the Cursed.

Using intimate video diaries, music and the memories of those who knew her, the film explores both her extraordinary talent and the efforts of her family and friends to ensure that her work continues to be heard.

It sounds like an incredibly personal film and an appropriate choice to bring EIFF 2026 to a close.

EIFF 2026 – The Story Continues

We are still only part of the way through the 2026 Edinburgh International Film Festival, so there are plenty more screenings, premieres and surprises still ahead.

So far, however, the combination of completely new films, Scottish filmmaking, international cinema and special events such as the Trainspotting anniversary has given the festival a real sense of occasion.

For me, the new films are particularly important.

It is easy to celebrate a film that everybody already knows. It is much more exciting to walk into a cinema knowing very little about what you are about to see and walk out having discovered something completely new.

Somewhere amongst the films being shown in Edinburgh this week could be a director, actor or film that we will all be hearing considerably more about in the future.

And that is surely one of the reasons film festivals still matter.

European Media will continue covering the Edinburgh International Film Festival throughout the week, with more photographs, reviews and updates to follow as EIFF 2026 continues across Edinburgh.

By Daren Frankish

Film poster artwork and promotional images courtesy of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.