Edinburgh Film Festival has announced that the popular free open-air cinema event, Film Fest in the City with Edinburgh Live will return to St Andrew Square Garden in summer.
Launched in 2011, the St Andrew Square Garden screenings were created to bring film lovers into the city centre to celebrate the capital’s rich culture and creativity. It is also a chance to create a buzz in the city in the lead-up for Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), which runs 19-30 June. Free screenings will take place from 14-16 June 2019.
Mark Adams, EIFF artistic director, said: “The annual outdoor screenings make for the perfect taster before the festival proper begins a few days later. Watching films outdoors is such a special experience and it is always gratifying to see film fans arriving at beautiful St Andrew Square Garden for this wonderful social event.”
Hosted in partnership by EIFF, Essential Edinburgh, and headline sponsor Edinburgh Live – a new digital title dedicated to providing up-to-the minute coverage of the latest events, sports and news in the city – this year’s outdoor cinema will include When Harry Met Sally, Groundhog Day, The Iron Giant as well as more recent films like The Greatest Showman, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins Returns and Oscar-winning Bohemian Rhapsody.
Roddy Smith, chief executive of Essential Edinburgh, said: “Essential Edinburgh is delighted to be able to continue to fund this fantastic event for the 8th time. Essential Edinburgh is solely funded by city centre businesses who invest £1m (€1.16m) a year into projects, initiatives and events such as Film Fest in the City.”
The full programme will be announced at the end of May 2019.