Named after the practice of clandestine dissemination of censored and forbidden texts in communist states, Samizdat Eastern European Film Festival is an audience-focused film festival based in Scotland. The festival takes place annually, with a main programme of screenings in Glasgow taking place over a week in early autumn, and selected screenings in other locations: in 2026, returning to Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and, for the first time, travelling to Cromarty and Dunfermline. With a diverse programme of meticulously curated retrospectives and new films, as well as special events such as animation collections and short film showcases, Samizdat is the first Scotland-based festival dedicated exclusively to cinema from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

“A hard-hitting and authentic first feature film” Cineuropa Ethan, 20, becomes an apprentice jockey in a racing stable. He discovers a talent, a passion, and begins to dream of a better future. But among the jockeys, places are hard to come by and competition is fierce. Out of a hundred lads, only one will go pro. If he wants to stand out from the crowd, Ethan is going to have to take some risks…

The feature debut from director Dee Rees is a tender exploration of Black lesbian identity. Tickets £3/£5/£7 on a sliding scale, with free entry for Grassmarket Community Project Members, open door meal attendees, and anyone else in need of a free ticket. Please select the ticket price that feels right to you; all income from tickets will be directly used to support the continued running of our cinema screenings. Notes Duration: 86 minutes Certificate 15 - strong language, sex references, discrimination, domestic abuse The film will screen with English descriptive subtitles, transcribing both dialogue and key audio information from the film The film will start promptly at 7pm without trailers The Grassmarket Community Project is a wheelchair accessible venue

Cinetopia presents a special screening of Charlotte Wells’ AFTERSUN (2022), followed by a post-film discussion exploring memory, family, youth and the things we leave unsaid. Thursday 22 October 2026 | Institut français d’Écosse, Edinburgh 7:00pm–9:30pm The event is part of Transmission: Youth Across Generations, a multi-event programme exploring how youth culture has shaped identity, belonging and collective memory in Britain from the 1980s to the present. The film In Charlotte Wells’ debut feature, eleven-year-old Sophie travels with her young father, Calum, to a faded Turkish holiday resort in the summer of 1999. Filming the trip on a MiniDV camera, Sophie drifts between her father’s company and the teenagers she is curious to be like, while Calum, warm and playful on the surface, carries something heavier he can’t quite share. Years later, an adult Sophie revisits the footage, searching it for the father she knew and the man she didn’t. Aftersun finds its power in what goes unsaid: a glance, a silence, a song or a shared joke. Paul Mescal’s Oscar-nominated performance and Frankie Corio’s remarkable debut give the film a lived-in intimacy, while its use of music and MiniDV footage creates a deeply affecting portrait of memory, family and the ways we come to understand our parents differently as we grow older. Post-film discussion Following the film, audiences are invited to stay for an informal conversation reflecting on Aftersun and the memories and questions it might stir up. Taking inspiration from the film, we’ll explore growing up, relationships between generations, family memories and how our understanding of the past changes over time. Audiences will also have the opportunity to contribute to the developing Transmission Youth Archive, sharing memories and reflections across generations. Guest Programmer: Livvie Wharmby This screening has been programmed by Livvie Wharmby, a final-year German and English Literature student at the University of Edinburgh. Livvie is a member of the university’s Film Society and previously served as Film/Television Editor for The Student. She has covered Glasgow Film Festival as a press-accredited journalist and recently attended the Berlinale. Livvie says: “Since its release, Aftersun has quietly haunted everyone who has seen it. It makes you think about your own family, your childhood, mental health, or simply the beauty of the filmmaking. So much is left unsaid, and I love the idea of an event that lets people say it, opening up conversation rather than holding it all within.” Film information AFTERSUN (2022) Dir. Charlotte Wells UK/USA | 101 mins | Certificate 12 Starring Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio and Celia Rowlson-Hall Content note: The film contains infrequent strong language, mild sex references and themes relating to mental health and suicide. It also contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy. This screening is part of Cinetopia’s TRANSMISSION: YOUTH ACROSS GENERATIONS, part of Rip It Up, supported by Film Hub Scotland as part of the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN), made possible by the National Lottery. Cinetopia is an Edinburgh-based film events and exhibition company creating distinctive screenings, conversations and opportunities that connect audiences with film and the wider film community.

Charles Eades will lead exercises in devising performance for camera and practical methods for using video in a live theatrical setting. This is open to anyone. You may be a complete beginner or someone with acting or film making experience who wants to take your creative practice in a different direction. You may be a professional, a hobbyist or interested in trying something new. This is not a film class, we will not be looking at camera technique or how to shoot a narrative scene. The focus is on creatively engaging with the camera as a tool for self-expression. By the end of the workshop you will have gained confidence in performing to camera, developed practical exercises for using video in your creative practice and undergone an immersive introduction into the world of video art and experimental film making. Attendees are encouraged to bring a device capable of recording video. You must be comfortable appearing on camera as there will be filming during the workshop. FREE (booking essential)

What deal is worth your soul? The ageing scholar Faust strikes a bargain with the cunning devil Mephisto: his soul in exchange for his city's salvation and the gift of eternal youth. The Hippodrome Bar will open at 6.30pm with themed cocktails and an audience "confession box"! Performing live: Jane Gardner (piano) and Hazel Morrison (percussion)

Colombia, Presente! offers a portrait of a country that refuses to be reduced to a single image. Across six contemporary short films, Colombia emerges through bodies, landscapes, memory, desire and conflict — but also through music, humour, imagination and tenderness. This year, Colombia was shaken by devastating earthquakes, bringing tragedy and loss to communities across the country. Yet Colombia continues to move forward, carrying its grief while holding on to the hope of healing and overcoming. “Presente!” is both a declaration and a response. It is the voice of a generation saying: we are here, we remember, we question, we imagine, we continue.

Cinetopia presents a double bill of Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen (2002) and Michael Caton-Jones’ Our Ladies (2019), as part of TRANSMISSION: Youth Across Generations, exploring youth culture, memory and identity in Britain across the decades. Curated by two of our young programmers, Vama Urban and Eva Rodrigues, the event invites audiences to explore themes of rebellion, escape and belonging through cinema and an interactive sound archive. Tickets: £6 per film or £9 for both films. Sweet Sixteen (Ken Loach, 2002, 106 mins, cert 18) Ken Loach’s gritty coming-of-age drama follows Liam, a teenager from Greenock determined to build a better life for himself and his imprisoned mother despite his troubled upbringing. As Liam becomes involved in street crime, the film raises questions about morality, opportunity and how our surroundings shape our identities and futures. Sweet Sixteen also marked the screen debut of Scottish actor Martin Compston, who had never acted before. Programmed by Vama Urban Vama is currently on a gap year after completing high school. Her growing interest in filmmaking has led her to the Young Filmmakers Hub, BFI Academy and NFTS x Disney Academy. Particularly drawn to storytelling and screenwriting, she is fascinated by representations of youth across generations. “I have an obsession with films set in the 80s/90s/2000s, especially about youth, as it’s so interesting to see how teenagers like me lived but in a different generation. Lately, I’ve been especially drawn to these kinds of films when they’re set in Scotland. Watching Trainspotting (1996) was really interesting as it was set in my own hometown but in the 90s, so it looked familiar yet vastly different to now.” Our Ladies (Michael Caton-Jones, 2019, 100 mins, cert 15) Set in 1990s Scotland, Our Ladies follows five teenage girls from a Catholic school in Fort William travelling to Edinburgh for a choir competition. Away from the constraints of school, family and small-town life, their trip becomes an opportunity to assert independence and test boundaries. Exploring friendship, sexuality, rebellion and ambition, the film challenges nostalgic representations of adolescence, offering a bold portrayal of young women navigating expectations inherited from previous generations. Programmed by Eva Rodrigues Glasgow-based Eva recently graduated with an MA in Spanish. Having made her first documentary short in Barcelona and worked with IberoDocs Film Festival, she is passionate about bringing together her love of languages and cinema. “With the intention of breaking free from the common notions of nostalgia that often overwhelm engagements with media depicting youth cultures, I hope that this screening of Our Ladies will instead encourage discussions around female friendships, every-day rebellion and restrictive gender norms that we contend with from our teenage years into adulthood.” Eva is particularly interested in the film’s portrayal of young women’s rebellion and its representation of growing up in Scotland outside the Central Belt. She hopes the screening will encourage audiences to consider where they found escape in their youth and how they continue to challenge expectations in adulthood. Developing Youth Archive Between screenings, audiences are invited to share their own stories of rebellion, escape and belonging through an interactive sound and listening booth. Participants can contribute memories, songs and reflections to the Developing Youth Archive, creating a collective record of youth experiences across generations. By bringing these two films into conversation, the event creates space for stories to be heard and connections to emerge, using cinema as a starting point for wider discussions about identity, community and the circumstances that shape us. Venue Norton Park Conference Centre 57 Albion Road, Edinburgh EH7 5QY About TRANSMISSION This screening is part of Cinetopia’s TRANSMISSION: Youth Across Generations, a multi-event programme exploring how youth culture has shaped identity, belonging and collective memory in Britain from the 1980s to the present. TRANSMISSION is part of Rip It Up, supported by Film Hub Scotland as part of the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN), made possible by the National Lottery. About Cinetopia Cinetopia is an Edinburgh-based film events and exhibition company connecting audiences and the film industry through screenings, pop-up cinema, workshops, masterclasses and networking events.

The Film Premiere of.... CAESAR: The Ides or March Will be on Sunday 25th Oct at Brass Monkey, Drummond Street, Edinburgh. SCREENING TIMES 8:00pm - 9:15pm 9:45pm - 11pm The story is about Julius Caesar, a gifted Roman commander who conquers Gaul and seeks to return to Rome. However, he is faced with potential prosecution from Pompei and the senate if he returns so formulates a plan. He will cross the Rubicon with his 13th Legion and enter the city of Rome. This was filmed over the course of 6 years from 2020-2026 and it was all filmed in Scotland but local amature film makers. Written, Directed and performed by Jody Butler this proof of concept feature film highlights the struggle and determination it takes to make a full feature film on limited budget. Giving hope to young aspiring film makers with next to no budget. Please come along to show your support. For those that cannot make it you can also watch it via the YouTube link below. YouTube- https://youtu.be/ALjxnY9K4qY?is=wcTgsoqVeS8InvSb See you there!l and many thanks for all the support. IOM team.

“Delphine Seyrig’s prescient and passionate 1981 documentary both critiques the cinema and seeks to change it.” The New-Yorker In 1975 Delphine Seyrig recorded interviews with twenty-four actresses in France and the US, including Maria Schneider, Jane Fonda, and Shirley MacLaine, about their experience across the industry. Through their words, Seyrig reveals the frustrations of working within the patriarchal studio system.