Films Wed 8 Oct at 2pm & 6pm Pheasant Island / La isla de los faisanes In the borderless Europe of the 21st century, one border still separates Spain from France, marked by the Bidasoa River. On this river lies Pheasant…
Books & Ideas Thu 9 Oct at 4pm Meet the author Elise Hugueny-Léger Meet French writer Elise Hugueny-Léger for a talk on her first creative writing non-fiction, Twenty twenty: petites traversées franco-britanniques, which came out with Editions Créaphis in…
Books & Ideas Kids & Families Sat 11 Oct at 10.30am Storytime: The Fables of La Fontaine Join us for a special Heure du conte dedicated to the famous Fables of La Fontaine! On the agenda: clever and timeless tales, followed by…
Books & Ideas Talks Tue 14 Oct at 5.30pm Jean-Yves Laurichesse: Writing between memory and fiction A Professor of Modern and Contemporary French Literature with a string of publications on such authors as Jean Giono, Claude Simon and Richard Millet, Jean-Yves…
Films Wed 15 Oct at 2pm & 6pm Magnetic Beats / Les Magnétiques A bunch of friends broadcast a free radio station from their home in 1980s rural France. After one of them is called away to Berlin…
Music Thurs. 16th Oct at 7pm Hector Berlioz and Louise Bertin, a friendship in music by Brenda Poupard and Anne Louise Bourion Around the figures of Hector Berlioz and Louise Bertin unfolds a fascinating web of connections and resonances. In 1841, at nearly 40 years old, the…
Books & Ideas Kids & Families Thu 16 Oct at 2pm Family Afternoon: Story Collage / Histoires en papier In this hands-on workshop, kids will dive into the colorful world of collage to create their very own stories. Using paper, textures, magazines, and found…
Films Wed 22 Oct at 2pm & 6pm Eloïse’s Journey / La Page blanche Eloïse is sitting alone on a bench in Paris. She can't remember who she is, where she comes from or how did she get here.…
Networking Talks Wed 22 Oct at 1pm Franco-Scottish Relations in Trade, Business and Work: The Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland Anniversary Event This year the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland celebrates 130 years of actively promoting friendship and understanding between the Scottish and French peoples through educational, cultural…
Books & Ideas Thu 23 Oct at 3pm ‘Engraved on Man’s Skin’: The Auld Alliance, Much More than a Military Alliance ‘For this bond was not written on parchment but engraved on the living flesh of man’s skin, not in ink but with their mixed blood.’…
Music Performances Thu 23 Oct at 6.30pm Auld Alliance Concert with The Choir of St Giles’ Cathedral Join the Choir of St Giles' Cathedral for a spectacular evening of choral music celebrating the 730th anniversary of the Auld Alliance between Scotland and…
Thu 23 Oct at 5pm The Aftermath of the Auld Alliance: Franco-Scottish attitudes from the Union of the Crowns to the age of romanticism The ‘special relationship’ between Scotland and France goes as far back as the 13th century and even, according to myth, to the reign of Charlemagne.…
Films Fri 24 Oct at 6pm Halloween Special: Les Diaboliques "Henri-Georges Clouzot's film about two women plotting murder is a masterclass in macabre dread – and inspired Hitchcock's classic 'Psycho'" BBC The cruel and…
Books & Ideas Kids & Families Sat 25 Oct at 10.30am Storytime Halloween Special: The Ghost, the Cat, and the Loch Ness Mystery Join us for a spooky and magical storytime as part of the Auld Alliance celebrations! We’ll gather round to read a magical children’s books featuring…
Arts Special events Sat 25 Oct - 10.00 to 17.00 Franco-Scottish Fair On the occasion of the 730th anniversary of the historic Auld Alliance, come to the Franco-Scottish Fair to discover the many talents of French and…
Arts Workshops Sat 25 Oct at 10am Kiltmaking Workshop with the Auld Alliance Kiltmakers Auld Alliance Kiltmakers is the partnership of two passionate French artisans, Mathilde and Jonathan, kiltmakers and tartan designers based in Edinburgh. They are dedicated to…
Arts Workshops Sat 25 Oct at 2pm Watercolor Workshop inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh Come discover this iconic Scottish artist’s delicate floral designs, and learn step by step how to mimic his style in elegant watercolours, all this in…
Arts Books & Ideas Sat 25 Oct at 2pm Talk and book signing with Lisa Ballantyne Lisa Ballantyne is the internationally bestselling author of five novels. Her debut, The Guilty One was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award, Longlisted for the International IMPAC…
Books & Ideas Sat 25 Oct at 4.00pm Talk and book signing with Jenny Colgan Jenny Colgan is one of the most successful and prolific authors of feel-good fiction in the UK. Her numerous Sunday Times, New York Times and internationally bestselling…
Books & Ideas Tue 28 Oct at 12.30pm Reading group “Le premier exil” by Santiago H. Amigorena Once a month, the reading group meets up to discuss a couple of books selected in advance (from classical to contemporary French literature) and discovers…
Films Wed 29 Oct at 2pm & 6pm Divertimento Classical symphonic music is everything for 17-year-old Zahia Ziouani and her twin sister, Fettouma. Nevertheless, living in underprivileged Parisian suburbs in 1995 with their Algerian…
Films Music Thu 30 Oct at 6pm Elevator to the Gallows / Ascenseur pour l’échafaud + Live Jazz Performance Join us for the very first Cinetopia Salon, a new monthly gathering where cinema meets live performance, nibbles and drinks, and good conversation. Experience Louis Malle’s…
Books & Ideas Tue 4 Nov at 12.15pm Reading group “La cache” by Christophe Boltanski On 4 November, we will discuss Christian Boltanski's La cache, winner of the 2015 Prix Femina. The book was later adapted by Lionel Baier, and…
Films Wed 5 Nov at 2pm & 6pm Softie / Petite nature Johnny stands out from his family and his tough neighborhood in eastern France. He's sensitive, intelligent and interested in all kinds of things way beyond…
French Courses Networking 2 Oct, 6 Nov, 4 Dec Coffee & French Conversation Want to practice your French in an informal setting? Join us at the Institut français d’Écosse for a relaxed morning chat – over a cup…
Films Sat 8 Nov at 6.30pm The Safe House / La cache + Q&A with film director Lionel Baier UK Premiere with filmmaker Lionel Baier It’s Paris, May 1968. A nine-year-old boy is thrilled to be staying with his grandparents. They are joined by…
Films Sun 9 Nov at 6pm Fantômas + live musical accompaniment Gaumont Anniversary Special Event with live musical accompaniment This silent film series helped to establish the reputation of Gaumont Studios, celebrating its 130th anniversary this…
Films Mon 10 Nov at 6.30pm Doves in Zero Gravity / Colombes sans gravité + Q&A with director Christophe Gargot How the prolonged crisis in Mali has turned peacekeepers into powerless pawns caught between local wars and global geopolitics in a changing World Order. The…
Arts Books & Ideas Tue 11 Nov at 5pm Talk and book signing with Nina Six Born in 1998 in Orléans, Nina Six has lived in Belgium for almost ten years. Her narrative practice is based on personal and historical archives.…
Films Tue 11 Nov at 6.30pm The Baker’s Wife / La Femme du boulanger Marcel Pagnol anniversary & introduction by Pasquale Iannone When the village baker refuses to bake bread because his unfaithful wife has left with a handsome…
Films Wed 12 Nov at 2pm & 6pm Cold Cuts / Buffet froid Black comedy about solitude and the dehumanisation of the modern world, through the adventures of three men. First introduced is Alphonse Tram, an unemployed young…
Films Thu 13 Nov at 6.30pm Where There Is Love, There Is No Darkness / Là où on s’aime, il ne fait jamais nuit + Q&A Scottish Premiere with filmmaker Stevan Lee Mraovitch Seydou (Oumar Diaw) is a migrant delivery worker in the heart of Paris. He navigates the challenges…
Films Thu 13 Nov at 2:30pm Topaze Marcel Pagnol anniversary & introduction by Pasquale Iannone Albert Topaze, a serious schoolteacher addicted to “rote” morality, works at a private school run by supremely…
Films Fri 14 Nov at 6.30pm The Dinner Game / Le Dîner de cons Gaumont anniversary screening & intro by Sue Harris on the golden age of Gaumont comedy One of the biggest box office hits in French…
Films Sat 15 Nov at 11am Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret / Nina et le secret du hérisson An exquisite and enchanting new animated feature, featuring the voice talents of beloved French cinema icons Audrey Tautou and Guillaume Canet. Ten-year-old Nina has always…
Films Sat 15 Nov at 6.30pm Dead Tired / Grosse fatigue Gaumont anniversary screening & intro by Sue Harris on the glories of Gaumont The story of a film star (Michel Blanc) whose life comes undone…
Films Sun 16 Nov at 5pm Short cuts Spot the film-making talents of tomorrow in this selection of garlanded francophone shorts from France and Belgium, in association with IFCinéma, Manifest, Miyu Distribution and…
Films Wed 19 Nov at 2pm & 6pm After the Fire / Avant que les flammes ne s’éteignent Malika confronts the death of her younger brother, killed during a police investigation in the Strasbourg suburbs. They hadn’t spoken in three years. In order…
Films Fri 21 Nov at 6pm Paris Memories / Revoir Paris ★★★★ “Cemented by Efira’s restrained, empathetic performance, Paris Memories is a deft exploration of recovery” Little White Lies “It’s a sensitive, careful film with real emotional…
Books & Ideas Tue 25 Nov at 12.30pm Reading group “Alpinistes de Staline” by Cédric Gras Once a month, the reading group meets up to discuss a couple of books selected in advance (from classical to contemporary French literature) and discovers…
Films Wed 26 Nov at 2pm & 6pm The Crusade / La Croisade Abel and Marianne discover that their 13-year-old son has been selling the family’s valuables to finance a secret ecological project in Africa he believes will…
Films Wed 3 Dec at 2pm & 6pm Eugénie Grandet Felix Grandet reigns supreme in his modest house in Saumur where his wife and daughter Eugenie lead a distraction-free existence. Extremely avaricious, he does not…
Special events Fri 5 Dec at 7.15pm Quiz of the Institut français d’Ecosse You are a quiz fan? Come and test your knowledge about France and French language in a fun and relaxed atmosphere at the Institut français…
Films Wed 10 Dec at 2pm & 6pm Age of Panic / La Bataille de Solférino On 6 May 2012, the day of the second round of the French presidential election, TV journalist Laetitia is late leaving home for her assignment…
Performances Theatre 11 December at 6pm “Les Misérables”, a theatrical adaptation by Stéphanie Goud Join us for a vibrant and heartfelt theatrical adaptation, directed by the talented Stéphanie Goud and inspired by Victor Hugo’s timeless masterpiece “Les Misérables”. Brought…
Films Fri 12 Dec at 6pm Special Section / Section spéciale A German officer is murdered in Nazi-occupied France. Unable to apprehend the actual culprits, the collaborationist Vichy government decides to pin the murder on six…
Films Wed 17 Dec at 2pm & 6pm The Empire / L’Empire Winner of the Jury Prize at this year’s Berlinale, Empire is Bruno Dumont’s first foray into science-fiction. In a quiet and picturesque fishing village on the…
Films Fri 23 Jan at 6pm L’Atalante A timeless masterpiece of love and yearning, L’Atalante was the only full-length film made by Jean Vigo before his tragic early death. The film is now considered…
Films Fri 20 Feb at 6pm Holy Cow / Vingt Dieux Totone is 18 and spends most of his time drinking beers and partying with his group of friends in the Jura region. But reality catches…
Films Fri 20 March at 6pm Monsieur Lazhar At a Montréal public grade school, Bachir Lazhar, an Algerian immigrant, is hired to replace an elementary school teacher who died tragically. While helping his…
Films Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival Next event : Pheasant Island / La isla de los faisanes Wed 08 Oct at 14:00
Festivals & series Women Shaping the World Next event : Hector Berlioz and Louise Bertin, a friendship in music by Brenda Poupard and Anne Louise Bourion Thu 16 Oct at 19:00
Music Talks 730th anniversary of the Auld Alliance Next event : Franco-Scottish Relations in Trade, Business and Work: The Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland Anniversary Event Wed 22 Oct at 13:00
Films 2024-2025 Edinburgh Film Guild Season Next event : Halloween Special: Les Diaboliques Fri 24 Oct at 18:00
Films Music Networking Performances Cinetopia Salons Next event : Elevator to the Gallows / Ascenseur pour l'échafaud + Live Jazz Performance Thu 30 Oct at 18:00
French Film Festival UK 2025 Next event : The Safe House / La cache + Q&A with film director Lionel Baier Sat 08 Nov at 18:30