Two weeks before the Edinburgh International Film Festival kicks off its 78th edition, Festival Director and CEO Paul Ridd seemed almost at ease.
“We’re not in the eye of the storm,” he said, “but we’re sort of circling it.”
Since taking the helm in late 2023, alongside festival producer Emma Boa, Ridd has overseen a strategic reinvention of one of the world’s oldest film festivals from building a new board and footprint to rethinking its mission within Scotland’s festival-heavy cultural calendar.
“This year is really year one,” he told Variety. “Last year we laid the groundwork, we showed that the new structure could work. Now, it’s about growing on that ballast.”
That growth is visible across the board. EIFF25 presents 43 new feature films, 18 of them world premieres, including the 10-title Sean Connery Competition for Feature Filmmaking Excellence — carrying substantial £50,000 ($67,000) prize awarded by audience vote. Alongside that are six retrospective screenings, a return of the late-night Midnight Madness strand which will see Ben Wheatley’s latest “Bulk” premiere among others, and In Conversation sessions with the likes of Andrea Arnold, Nia DaCosta, Jeremy Thomas, and Ken Loach.
“Discovery, audience, and industry integration – that’s the personality of this festival,” Ridd said. “The idea is to offer something exciting enough that people want to engage. If you build it, they will come.”
A Competition Built to Launch
This year’s competition slate ranges from queer dramas to formally daring indies: Elliot Tuttle’s “Blue Film,” Jaclyn Bethany’s “In Transit” with Jennifer Ehle (“Saint Maud”, “Pride and Prejudice”), and Abdolreza Kahani’s “Mortician” — Kahani returns after debuting “A Shrine” at EIFF last year. That pattern, says Ridd, is intentional.
“We already have filmmakers returning in year two, and that’s a huge sign of progress. The Sean Connery Prize decided by the audience gives them a real launch. Last year’s winner ‘The Ceremony’ got distribution and now releases theatrically in August.” It wasn’t alone, with Ridd citing that 60% of the films on show last year were acquired or have secured distribution.
The competition is curated from more than 4,000 submissions.
“We’re looking for films with that ‘wow’ factor, and a confidence of voice. Some themes do emerge — queerness, identity, displacement — but they’re not imposed. They grow organically from the selection.” Ridd explained.
Finding a Home in the Chaos
Staging the festival during Edinburgh’s notoriously jam-packed August alongside the Fringe, the International Festival and the Book Festival could seem like self-sabotage. But Ridd sees it differently.
“There’s already a crowd here looking for new work,” he said. “The Fringe audience is adventurous. Being part of that ecosystem helps us creatively, logistically, and commercially.”
It also allows cross-pollination. “Ideally, a filmmaker shows work at EIFF, meets someone doing theatre or live comedy down the road, and a new collaboration emerges. That’s the dream.”
Access to the Fringe’s robust infrastructure has real benefits too. “Being able to sell tickets through the Fringe app has been transformative. It’s intuitive, it’s already on everyone’s phone.” he outlined.
A major evolution this year is the industry program, which now runs across all seven days and includes events with some of the most powerful names in U.K. and international film — including Rose Garnett, Eva Yates, Farhana Bhula, Jeremy Thomas and David Hinojosa.
But for all its ambition, the festival remains nimble by design.
“One of the issues at the larger festivals is scale,” said Ridd. “It’s overwhelming. You’re running between meetings and missing screenings. At Edinburgh, we offer something more contained and that’s a strength. Every film and event gets space to breathe.”
The goal is to create “genuinely useful” moments for filmmakers, not vague abstraction. “Panels are practical. Career conversations are focused. Networking isn’t just drinks, it’s a delegate centre where people actually meet each other.”
Scotland and the International Context
Though EIFF maintains a global remit, he’s conscious of his national role. “For us it’s all about placing Scottish work alongside international work, utilising our global platform for local work within our selection.”
That includes Scottish features like John McPhail’s “Grow” and BIFA winner Paul Sng’s closing night documentary on author Irvine Welsh “Reality Is Not Enough,” plus shorts from the inaugural NFTS Sean Connery Lab.
So what’s next?
“We don’t want to grow in size for the sake of it,” he said. “We’re not aiming to double the number of titles. We’re aiming to grow audience, grow international interest, and stay coherent.”
The competitions for both features and shorts are central. “They’re simple, audience-voted, and come with real financial support. That’s a powerful combination.”
For Ridd, success isn’t measured by celebrity appearances or red carpets. It’s measured by conversation.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is community, people engaging with the work, discussing it in the bar afterward, arguing about it the next morning. That’s what makes a festival live.”
variety.com
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