Edinburgh Filmhouse sets date for big screen comeback

One of Scotland's most important cinemas has set a date for its reopening, three years after it was almost lost for good.

Edinburgh's Filmhouse will open its doors again on 27 June, after a lengthy campaign to save and refurbish it and guarantee its future.

Originally opened in a repurposed church in 1978, the cinema was shuttered following the collapse of its parent charity Centre for the Moving Image.

Since then, the building has undergone a £2m refurbishment that has seen a complete internal refit to the public areas and screens, and "substantial" repairs to the roof and stonework.

The venue will boast a total capacity of 350 seats and the former three-screen cinema will now offer a fourth, seating 24, for private screenings.

A-listers from the film world got behind the campaign to save the well-loved cinema, including patrons Jack Lowden and Charlotte Wells and supporters Dougray Scott, Brian Cox, and Emma Thompson.

When the cinema opens, it will show a programme of films missed during the venue's almost three year closure.

Lowden, whose film credits include Dunkirk and the upcoming Tornado, said the reopened cinema would provide a lift to Scotland's film-makers and storytellers.

"Filmhouse is a place utterly dedicated to the promotion and celebration of independent cinema," he said.

"To have such a place on the streets of our capital providing the platform to give our world-class film-makers and storytellers the lift-off they need, and continue to ask the big questions of ourselves through cinema, is exciting and vital."

Moves to reopen the cinema began when the building's owners, Caledonian Heritable, agreed to lease the building back as a modern cinema space for a minimum period of 25 years, with a new lease being signed in July 2024.

Work to refurbish the venue then began in February 2025, supported by funding including £324,000 from the grassroots Open the Doors crowdfunding campaign, £1.5m from the UK government, and donations from other sources.

This included £977,925 from Screen Scotland and £1,243,312 from Creative Scotland over the next three years.

Fundraising is also continuing for some remaining elements of the project.

Andrew Simpson, executive director of Filmhouse, said: "The love for Filmhouse never went away, it was just waiting to be reignited.

"The incredible response to its closure showed us how vital this space is, not just for Edinburgh, but for audiences across Scotland and beyond.

"We are returning with fresh energy, a clear plan for the future and a commitment to delivering world-class film experiences for everyone."

The Filmhouse team said "comfort" was at the heart of the refurbishment, with filmgoers able to expect extra legroom and comfortable seats.

Margaret Graham, culture and communities convener at Edinburgh City Council, described news of the reopening as "wonderful".

She said: "I am sure that many people across Edinburgh and beyond will be looking forward to this event.

"This much-loved cinema is both a community hub and cultural asset for the city.

"Its refurbishment will allow even more people to enjoy the magic of global cinema in the heart of the city."