First look inside 'reborn' Edinburgh Filmhouse as reopened date revealed

The cinema, which has undergone a major refurbishment, is to open its doors on June 27. However, the launch of its planned fourth screen will be delayed to next month.

Refurbished screens one, two and three and all the public areas will open on June 27, while screen four will open later in July as part of a second phase of work.

Meanwhile, fundraising continues for a phase three of some remaining elements of the project relating to energy efficiency after the cinema missed out on National Lottery funding.

The cinema, on Edinburgh’s Lothian Road, closed in October 2022 when its parent company, the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), went into administration.

The venue was later saved after a campaign backed by celebrities. A new charity created by a group of staff to try to bring the Filmhouse back to life last year secured the backing of the UK government’s Community Ownership Fund, which was created to help groups secure the future of assets at risk of being lost.

Scaffolding was removed from the building last week, for the first time since the near £2 million refurbishment began. Work on the building, which is largely cosmetic, started earlier this year.

The Filmhouse said its Open the Doors! crowdfunder campaign had raised more than £324,000 of the money needed. The UK government’s Levelling Up Community Ownership Fund granted the Filmhouse £1.5 million, with other capital funding coming from a raft of donations and from trusts.

Further project support came from major funder Screen Scotland and Creative Scotland, and the City of Edinburgh Council.

David Smith, director of Screen Scotland, said: “Reopening Filmhouse has been the mission for many people across the last three years. From the moment it closed, the Screen Scotland team were working to get Filmhouse back. In the end that effort, our support, became focused around Ginnie, Rod, James and David and it was those four individuals who put in hours upon hours of hard work that made it a reality.

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“Edinburgh – and everyone who loves film – owes them and the thousands of people who supported their crowdfunder a huge thank you.

“The revitalised, reimagined, reborn Filmhouse will bring back all that was lost and much more, and once again be the heart and home for cinema culture in Edinburgh.”

As part of the renovations, the box office has been reduced in size due to the rise in popularity for online ticketing. The fourth screen will eventually have capacity for 24 patrons, with the space available for private screenings and rental.

The three main screens have meanwhile been reduced in capacity, from around 450 seats to 350, allowing for larger, more comfortable seating. The new Filmhouse will include a revamped bar and cafe area.

Filmhouse will partner with many of Scotland’s film festivals offering technical and marketing packages for the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival, Take One Action, Edinburgh Short Film Festival and Iberodocs Film Festival, amongst others.

The cinema will also look to screen events such as National Theatre Live and live Metropolitan Opera broadcasts for the first time, with more details to be confirmed in coming months.

Details of Filmhouse’s involvement with this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival in August are yet to be announced.

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. Filmhouse belongs to its community, and we’re excited to welcome people back.”