The Screen Machine mobile cinema will visit Edinburgh on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 September 2024 - its first visit to the Capital in seven years.
Over the two days, Screen Machine will be partnering with Screen Scotland to screen films, short films and documentaries from across Scotland produced with support from Screen Scotland.
Included in the two-day programme of unique events are screenings of A Bear Named Wojtek, a celebration of neurodiversity on and off camera with Working Differently and Dinosaur, alongside a showcase of emerging filmmaking talent with shorts from Bridging the Gap and Little Pictures.
The 80-seat cinema, which more usually tours the Highlands & Islands, will be parked a short distance from the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood Palace. Tickets are available to the public - more details on booking are below.
Regional Screen Scotland, operator and manager of the cinema, hope that this visit will help its campaign to raise £1.7 million to commission a new cinema.
For 26 years, Screen Machine has brought the magic of the big screen to more than 40 communities in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland, almost half of which are islands.
This news follows last week’s announcement that Regional Screen Scotland have launched a public fundraising campaign, to raise £100k. This is the first step towards raising the significantly higher amount of £1.7m, which is the cost of building a brand new bespoke cinema, which will secure the service into the 2040s. Without this investment the service will end.
In March 2024, Regional Screen Scotland announced that Screen Scotland have provided funding to extend the lease of the Cinémobile by two years, to April 2026. This provides time to fundraise for £1.7 million for the cost of a new Screen Machine which will be built to our own specifications. The build will take 12 to 18 months to complete.
Simon Drysdale, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Regional Screen Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have been asked by Screen Scotland to bring Screen Machine to Edinburgh for two days. Not only will this provide organisations such as Animation Scotland and the Scottish Documentary Institute with the opportunity to showcase their work, it will also give a range of individuals - including MSPs - the opportunity to step inside the Screen Machine. And we will of course do our best to accomodate any members of the public who are passing, and would like to have a peek inside one of the most unusual cinemas in the world.”
Register now
Monday 16 September
12 - 12.45pm: Animation Scotland
RSVP at https://rsvp.zkipster.com/_xxknj
1.30 - 2.45pm: Bridging the Gap
RSVP at https://rsvp.zkipster.com/_d9ozv
3.30 - 4.30pm: Sharp Shorts & Little Pictures
RSVP at https://rsvp.zkipster.com/_enwxn
Tuesday 17 September
11am - 12.15pm: Gaelic Media with MG Alba
RSVP at https://rsvp.zkipster.com/_49xx6
1.15 - 2.15pm: Neurodiversity: Working Differently & Dinosaur
RSVP at https://rsvp.zkipster.com/_o5ll0
3 - 4pm: Participatory Film and Screen Access Organisations
RSVP at https://rsvp.zkipster.com/_6koov