The industry has reacted with shock at the news announced yesterday (October 6) that Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh and Belmont Filmhouse in Aberdeen are to “cease trading immediately” as parent charity, Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), enters administration.
It is understood that 102 staff will be made redundant with immediate effect. A total of 107 staff were employed across all four of the CMI’s businesses. Five staff have been kept on to assist with the administration process.
CMI has cited government funding not rising in line with inflation, the cost of living crisis and the impact of the pandemic as contributing to the financial woes of the charity.
The 2022 edition of EIFF was the first under the leadership of Australian creative director Kristy Matheson, and saw the festival return to its August slot for the first time since 2008.
Glasgow Film Festival co-director, Allison Gardner, told Screen yesterday: “I was very sad, I’ve been in tears this morning [October 6]. I recently had a meeting with Kristy, we were working on ways to maximise industry opportunities for creatives in Scotland. I used to work with the EIFF and I used to work at Filmhouse, it’s a sad loss and I’m very sad for the staff who have lost their jobs.”
Gardner, however, is feeling secure about Glasgow’s future: “We’re a very well financially managed organisation. Our accounts are published, they are there for everyone to see. They are on public record as a limited company. We’ve sent out a reassuring message to our staff, volunteers and board this morning. We share our financial position with our staff and volunteers at our catch ups. The name of the game for us is transparency.”
Mark Adams, former EIFF artistic director (2014-19), said: “It is such sad news. I’m so sorry for the dedicated staff, the supportive audiences, the Scottish film scene and for the city of Edinburgh, which deserves a thriving independent art house cinema and also a film festival of International acclaim. I oversaw five memorable, successful and satisfying festivals so am mortified to see what has happened.
”Hopefully there will be full and proper investigations into the circumstances and more importantly hope that a new festival can be reborn celebrating the EIFF good name… it has such history, such importance and has been so well loved by both audiences and industry that it is hard to imagine it not existing on the festival calendar.”
Northern Ireland-born and Edinburgh-based filmmaker, and former EIFF artistic director (1996-97), Mark Cousins, said: “Filmhouse and the Edinburgh International Film Festival are why I live in Edinburgh. They helped make the city – and Scotland – a kind of cinema honey pot. I remember so many people – Martin Scorsese, the Coens, Steve Martin, Tilda Swinton, Jarvis Cocker, Leslie Caron, Maggie Cheung, etc – in that building. It was a harbour for innovative filmmakers, passionate film people, and a luminous link from Edinburgh to the world. We are winded by the news. “
Cousins expressed optimism that there may be a revival: “Luckily Creative Scotland, the City Council and the Scottish Government can see what a potential loss this is, and many of us filmmakers are messaging each other today in the hope that there’s a plan we can back.”
Lizzie Francke, editor-at-large at the British Film Institue (BFI) FIlm Fund and artistic director at EIFF from 1997-2001, echoed Cousins’ optimism: ”Edinburgh is too strong in spirit to die. It’s not going to die. It’s had some wounded years, but what Kristy was doing last summer, it felt like the phoenix was going to rise again. I was so excited about her edition and what she was doing. I felt devastated yesterday [October 6], but then I thought no, it’s going to have a Lazarus, it’s not going to die. The fearless spirit of Edinburgh, the uniqueness of it, is symbolic for independent cinema. There’s a mighty will to resuscitate it.”
Social media response
On Twitter, Sixteen Films – the production company run by director Ken Loach and producer Rebecca O’Brien, who started her film career at EIFF, wrote: “Truly dreadful news - our solidarity and thoughts are with the 107 who have summarily lost their jobs. Shocking.”
Tricia Tuttle, who is stepping down as festival director of the BFI London Film Festival after this year’s edition, wrote: “Absolutely horrific news. This is such sad news for the amazing people who have lost their jobs. And for the people of Edinburgh who have lost a cinema and festival that have meant so much to so many people.”
Head of audiences at the BFI, Ben Luxford, wrote: “Such sad and frustrating news from Edinburgh and Aberdeen. I started my career @edfilmfest and @Filmhouse, so it’s always meant a lot to me. Staff always deserve better.”
EIFF programmer, Rafa Sales Ross, tweeted: “Not only am I and many other brilliant people losing their jobs but Aberdeen is losing its only independent cinema. An insurmountable loss for the city. The Belmont is my home, the first place I visited when I moved to Scotland. I love it and will miss it dearly.”
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