The 16th Edinburgh Short Film Festival returns soon, bringing a powerhouse line-up of global cinema and award-winning short films to audiences in the capital.
The Programme
This year’s programme features celebrated shorts fresh from Cannes and Locarno, alongside 27 UK Premieres, 29 international award-winners, and a dedicated showcase of home-grown Scottish filmmaking talent. 55 films compete for the BIFA-qualifying Edinburgh Short Film Festivals film awards, with the winners announced at our awards night on Saturday 21st November.
Some staff highlights to note; we loved 'Signal' a beautifully choreographed French stop motion musical sci-fi about an observatory searching for alien life, 'Meadow Mice' is a wonderfully staged Turkish period drama, there's a whole night devoted to some excellent Scottish short films and a programme of specially-curated Japanese shorts.
Partners and Events
The ESFF is excited to host specially-curated programmes from our partners, including Short Shorts & Asia from Tokyo, German shorts from Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg, and Short Waves from Poznan, which presents a Polish shorts programme. There's also a dedicated Balkan shorts programme, and visiting international festival directors present their favourites at our European film festivals showcase. The ESFF also hosts live filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and networking events.
We're excited about this year's programme and guests and looking forward to once again bringing the best short films from around the world to our much-loved city. You won't likely see them again and tickets go fast, so book a seat soon!
Listing Details
What: The 16th Edinburgh Short Film Festival
When: Friday 6th November - Saturday 21st November 2026, weekend screenings
Where: Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, EH3 9BZ & Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Place, Edinburgh EH9 1PL
Tickets available online through the official festival website
