Edinburgh Filmhouse memories after shock closure announcement

People have been sharing their fond memories of Edinburgh Filmhouse after it was announced last week that the much-loved cinema was to close its doors for good.

Campaigns have already begun to save the 44-year-old cinema on Lothian Road after The Edinburgh Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival ceased trading suddenly on Thursday, leading to over 100 job losses.

A “perfect storm” of reduced audiences due to the pandemic, rising energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis are being blamed for the demise of the Centre for the Moving image (CMI). Its trustees said the “unprecedented” combination and scale of the current challenges had left them with no option but to take immediate action.

Taking to the Evening News Facebook page, cinema-goers have been expressing their anger at this decision and sharing their happy memories of the venue.

Kirsty Innes shared this photo of her film-loving sons.

Kirsty Innes said: “I loved sitting in the cafe and soaking in the atmosphere during the Edinburgh Film Festival. With the nachos being a highlight.

“I loved that the film festival brought the global film industry to Edinburgh and made films truly interactive, with Q&As, workshops and more. In more recent years my sons all learned to love the magic of films through the wonderful festival family galas.”

Reflecting on family memories of the Filmhouse, Susan Broadfoot said: "I started meeting my parents in the cafe bar there every Saturday morning. When my dad died, my mum (Maureen Lear) and I continued to go but she didn’t just go on Saturdays. She went every day except a Sunday. After she died six years ago, the Filmhouse erected a plaque above her favourite seat in her honour. Hopefully I can retrieve it.”

Gowan Calder added: “I must have been about 16. Went to a late night James Dean double-bill. Came out in the wee small hours to find it had been snowing and got involved in a mass snowball fight on the Meadows on the way home. Golden.”

Edinburgh Film House on Lothian Road suddenly announced it was to close last week. Photo by Lisa Ferguson.

Sharing his memories, Peter McLaren said: “Back in the mid 80’s The Filmhouse offered students early evening screenings for 50p. I’d go a couple of times a week. We could rush back to the Edinburgh College of Art before the doors closed after nine and work on paintings until midnight, often inspired by what we’d just seen.”

Jil Faulkner was heartbroken by the news of the Filmhouse’s closure.

“The Filmhouse is an iconic part of Edinburgh for me,” she said.

"I used to work at Usher Hall in the mid 80s and would regularly pop across the road to the Filmhouse to see the most stylish French films like Subway, Betty Blue and Diva. Very cool! I only recently moved back to Edinburgh and thankfully had revisited the wonderful Filmhouse but was looking forward to more.”

The famous Filmhouse nachos!

Kristin House was also left devastated by the news. She said: “For a few years in the late 80s it was my second home. I watched Prince’s Cherrie Moon movie, Around Midnight and so many more movies. A place to watch artistic movies, and have a glass of wine in the bar after. The end of an era.”

To sign the petition to save Edinburgh Filmhouse, go to: www.change.org/p/save-edinburgh-international-film-festival-filmhouse-and-belmont?