Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival 2020: date, tickets and films showing

The spirit of adventure will be writ large at the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival. Picture: EMFF

The Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival is an annual celebration of the great outdoors, aiming to inspire skiers, hikers, and all other kinds of outdoor enthusiasts with a series of films and guest speakers.

After taking a break in 2019, the festival is back for 2020 with another programme jam-packed with inspiring films and insightful talks from adventurers of all kinds.

It will once again be held at the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre at Edinburgh University, with a huge range of long and short films to be shown over the course of a weekend.

Festival regualr Kev Shields will play another starring role with We Need To Talk About Kev. Picture: EMFF

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2020 Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival.

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When is it?

This year’s festival will take place on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February 2020.

The weekend is divided up into various ‘sessions’ which begin at 2pm and 7pm on both days, as well as an earlier session at 11am on the Sunday.

While the festival’s first iteration was held at the Caledonian Brewery, this year it will take place at the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre (previously known as the George Square Lecture Theatre) where it has been for the rest of its existence.

Which films will screen at this year’s festival?

Saturday 15 February will begin with the ‘Climbers Session’.

Unlike previous years, there will be no guest speakers. Instead, three of the biggest climbing films of the year will be screened back to back – We Need to Talk About Kev, Undiscovered, and Climbing Blind.

Each one follows an inspiring climber as they take on the Scottish wilderness, overcoming all kinds of obstacles in pursuit of their goals.

Saturday night’s ‘Extreme Session’ will then follow. This will begin with an hour of action-packed short films before a fundraising raffle (in aid of Mountain Rescue) and a presentation from guest speaker Leon McCarron – the Northern Irish adventurer who walked 1,000 miles through the heart of the Middle East.

Sunday morning kicks off with another film only session, with a selection of short films which are suitable for all audiences – ideal if you’re trying to get some little ones excited about outdoor activities.

The afternoon will feature the ‘Adventure Session’, with films from about skiers, cold water swimmers and globetrotting buskers. There will then be a presentation from Anna McNuff - the barefoot runner who completed a 2,620 mile run across the UK with no footwear.

To round things off, Sunday evening will concluded with the aptly named ‘Closing Session’. It will showcase an hour of short, inspiring films themed around great challenges. Globe-crossing cyclist Jenny Graham will then give the festival’s final presentation.

How can I get tickets?

Tickets for the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival can be booked online here.

Unlike previous years, there will be no weekend tickets available – instead, admission is broken down into the various different sessions, as well as into ‘films only’ and ‘films and presentation’ options.

Prices range from £10 to £17, with children under 12 able to attend the Sunday morning films for just £5.