Time Out: Three Scottish cinemas named among world’s best - including 'cosy' community gem
The film houses were recognised for their eclectic showings as well as their community outreach.
From Jessie Buckley’s heart-wrenching performance in Hamnet to the critic-splitting reimagining of Wuthering Heights - film has dominated the cultural conversation in 2026.
Ahead of the Oscars this weekend, Time Out has canvassed local experts and directors to produce the ultimate guide to a hundred of the world’s best local cinemas.
The eclectic list features every kind of venue from “cult” Tokyo cinemas to a Berlin kino with its own nuclear bunker.
Excitingly, three Scottish cinemas were named in Time Out’s list - with cinemas in Glasgow, Edinburgh and a Black Isle town highlighted by experts.
In 59th place was the Glasgow Film Theatre, a wonderfully preserved picture house built in the 1930s.
It has been at the heart of the city’s film scene for nearly a century and is the home of the annual Glasgow Film Festival.
Time Out critics commended its “eclectic programme” of blockbusters, cult classics, and indie shorts – but said its film festivals and youth outreach schemes was what elevated it from simply a “cool” cinema to a real community gem.
The Cameo Picturehouse in Edinburgh’s Tollcross was named 77th place.
The Cameo is a top haunt among film lovers in the capital, especially those hoping to catch an old classic or cult favourite.
The experts loved the vintage interior of the century-old cinema, with its charming Edwardian tiles, pillars and bar.
The Time Out critics said: “You’d never guess the splendour of the main screen from the aged (in a good way) design of the foyer; but that’s just part of the magic of this unassuming Tollcross institution.”
At just six years old, the third Scottish cinema on the list, in 95th place, is much less of an institution than the other contenders.
Perched on the tip of the Black Isle peninsula in the Scottish Highlands, Cromarty Community Cinema is a tiny but popular community gem.
It began with a group of film enthusiasts who, tired of a 50-mile round trip to the cinema in Inverness, longed for a space to experience and film in their own community.
After a frantic period of fundraising, feasibility studies and navigating the planning process, the tiny 35-seat cinema opened in January 2020.
The cinemas plush seats are each sponsored by loyal supporters of the project - including author Ian Rankin.
The volunteer-run cinema has both a loyal local following as well as being popular with tourists in the summer months.
It also runs an annual film festival.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.