Annual documentary film festival with feature-length, short, experimental and student documentaries addressing social and environmental issues.
Close:Up Edinburgh Docufest returns to Summerhall Arts from 23 to 25 April 2027, bringing another three days of documentary and non-fiction storytelling to the heart of the city. It's Edinburgh's first and only annual documentary film festival, and it's been running since 2018.
The festival is presented by Summerhall Arts, which runs a multi-disciplinary arts programme across the site, and it's run by HFP, an organisation that stages film festivals and events championing diversity across 13 countries, with 24 festivals worldwide. More than just a screening space, the festival is built as an open platform for filmmakers from around the world to show their work and for creators and audiences to connect. The programme ranges from observational and experimental documentaries to fresh student films and shorts addressing social and environmental issues.
There's a fair bit of recognition on the line, too. Awards include Best Feature-Length Documentary, Best Short Documentary, Best Experimental Documentary, Best Student Documentary and Best Scottish Production, with add-on awards for Best Director, Best Cinematographer and Best First-time Filmmaker. It's a good spread that covers everything from the big features to the smaller, more experimental stuff, with a specific nod to Scottish production.
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If you're interested in the non-fiction side of things, the dates are 23 to 25 April 2027 at Summerhall Arts, 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL.
