Airport lands new partner with film festival drive-in movies plan
● Organisers say up to 300 vehicles will be allowed at each screening
Edinburgh Airport and the Edinburgh International Film Festival are to join forces to launch a huge drive-in film festival in August.
A long-stay car park will host screenings on two separate weekends during the city’s traditional festivals season.
Although a line-up of films has yet to be revealed, organisers say at least some of the films will be airport or planerelated.
The Drive-in Movies will be repeated at the airport on the last weekend each month for the foreseeable future, with special Halloween and Christmas events in October and December.
There will be capacity for up to 300 vehicles at each screening, with the films being shown on a 100 sq m LED screen, one of the largest of its kind in the world. On-screen movie quizzes, car discos and competitions will be staged at each event, while cinema-style snacks will be available.
The new event, which will be launched on 7-9 August and 27-30 August, is being staged after the film festival was forced to scrap plans for a nautical-themed event at Port Edgar Marina in South Queensferry this summer. Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid, The Abyss and Jaws were all due to be shown.
The film festival has already announced plans to stage an online-only event, which will be launching this week.
The new airport event continues a film festival tradition which has seen open-air “Film in the City” events staged in St Andrew Square, the Grassmarket and the Royal Mile.
The drive-in screenings will be the first events to be staged in August by the festival since it shifted its dates in 2008.
Chief executive Ken Hay said: “We’re delighted we’ve found a way to bring some great films to Edinburgh audiences despite the challenges we currently face. It’s not the festival as we know it but still a way to bring a part of it to life this year.
Edinburgh Airport will be launching the new drive-in events a year after it reported that a record 1.48 million passengers passed through its doors during the city’s busiest ever festivals period.
Chief executive Gordon
Dewar said: “Edinburgh is world renowned for its festivals and although things are a bit different at the moment, it’s important we all try to provide and hold on to little bits of normality where we can.
“We know that people are missing things they love to do such as heading off on holiday or trips to the cinema, so we are more than happy to try and provide a bit of both in one night.”
“Although things are a bit different at the moment, it’s important we all try to provide and hold on to little bits of normality where we can”
GORDON DEWAR