Sixteenth edition of the Edinburgh Short Film Festival, with screenings of short films from Scotland, the UK and around the world, Q&As, networking events and awards.
The Edinburgh Short Film Festival returns to the city for its 16th edition, running from Friday 6 to Saturday 21 November 2026. It's been a fixture of the local scene since it started in 2011, bringing contemporary Scottish, UK and international short films to Edinburgh. This year's programme will be screened across various arts and film venues throughout Scotland, so it's not just one cinema to keep track of.
The festival is a BIFA-qualifying event, and it maintains long-standing links with partner festivals overseas, including the Adriatic Film Festival, Shortcutz Amsterdam, Short Shorts & Asia, Regensburg and the Brussels Short Film Agency. The programmes it puts together here are eventually taken around the world, so the films you see in Edinburgh will travel far beyond the city. The awards they hand out include Best Film, Best Animated Film and Best Scottish Film.
It's an open call, too: the festival welcomes submissions from Scottish and international filmmakers across all genres, with a maximum running time of 25 minutes per film. If you're a filmmaker yourself, that's the main thing to keep in mind. The screenings are rounded out with Q&As, networking events and awards ceremonies, so there's more to it than just sitting in the dark.
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The 16th Edinburgh Short Film Festival runs from Friday 6 to Saturday 21 November 2026, with screenings at arts and film venues across Scotland.
Date
6 November – 21 November
Recommended Age
+14 years
