Edinburgh Film Festival admissions up 4%

The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has recorded more than 46,000 admissions for its 68th edition - a 4% increase in 2013.

The 12-day festival, which opened on June 18 with Hyena and closed on Sunday (June 29) with We’ll Never Have Paris, screened 121 new features.

Venues included the EIFF’s home at Filmhouse, its venue partner at Cineworld Fountain Park, and at Festival Theatre Edinburgh, Traverse Theatre, Dominion Cinema, Odeon Lothian Road, Cameo, Royal Lyceum Theatre and Belmont Filmhouse in Aberdeen.

Ken Hay, CEO of EIFF, said: “We are delighted to see that audiences have again supported the festival this year despite football fever and the glorious June sunshine. An increase in our admissions is a testament to the strength and depth of the programme.”

This year, the festival also collaborated with This is Edinburgh and Essential Edinburgh on Film in the City - a series of outdoor screenings and events across the city. 

More than 12,000 people attended musical features Grease and Strictly Ballroom in the Grassmarket and Jaws, How to Train Your Dragon and Juno in St. Andrew Square. 

Festival Square also hosted a series of movie-inspired workshops, Q&A’s and animation sessions.

Winning films this year included the world premiere of Joanna Coates’s Hide and Seek, which picked up The Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film.

The Award for Best Film in the International Competition was presented to Midi Z’s Ice Poison and The Audience Award went to Tony Benn: Will & Testament, which also received its world premiere at the Festival.