Film News - Edinburgh Film Focus

Seen this?
You might have missed a few of the productions that have shot in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Scottish Borders, and not all of them were ever intended for UK release. Here we list a few web sites showing clips of recent productions:

Imogène McCarthery - French feature film starring Catherine Frot, set in London and the Highlands but filmed in Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. Trailer now available online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TTzuCYNT9w

Meerkats Compare the Pentland Hills Regional Park
Were those Meerkats battling through the snow in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh recently. Yes it was. Meerkat fans check it out.. http://film.comparethemeerkat.com/

Bentley Mulsanne promo - a sophisticated view of Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2tPlxNtjBw

LG TV Commercial - Borderless with Birds - Directed by Dante Ariola and shot on the Bass Rock in May 2009. The ad will be seen across Europe in 2010. See online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-cc9ff0xU0

New Town Killers - Dougray Scott and James Anthony Pearson and Alistair Mackenzie star in a hi-octane game of hide and seek with a dangerous twist through the streets of Edinburgh. Trailer online at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqahpML6VV4

Arn, the Knight Templar - the biggest budget movie ever to come out of Scandinavia, based on Jan Guillou's best-selling trilogy about the son of a high-ranking Swedish nobleman, educated in a monastery and sent to fight in the Holy Land as penance for a forbidden love. Arn filmed in the Lothians over several weeks in 2007, at locations including Seton Collegiate, Torphichen Perceptory and Craigmiller Castle. The film has been released with huge success in Scandinavia but hasn't reached the UK market yet.
http://arnthemovie.com/

Doomsday - Neil Marshall's sci-fi horror action about a deadly virus threatening to wipe out the population, was filmed on location in Blackness Castle in 2007. The film was released in UK cinemas in May 2008, but if you missed it, you can watch the trailer here:
http://www.doomsdayiscoming.com/

Almost Heaven - a Canadian production where a TV director is hired to salvage an international fishing show in Scotland, filmed in the Scottish Borders in July 2006. The film didn't get a release in the UK but rumour has it that a DVD release may be on the cards soon. Watch the trailer here:
http://www.norstarfilms.com/trailer_almostheaven.html

Sharp Aquos hi-def TV - a US ad that was filmed on location at the Glen golf course North Berwick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh1o1QtLwK4

Lexus Road Trip - a Lexus ad to tie in with the American Open 2007, shot on location in East Lothian at the Longniddry and Glen Golf Courses and in East Linton.
http://www.theorphanage.com/ocp/portfolio/recent/1255

The Illusionist to open Edinburgh International Film Festival
Sylvain Chomet’s Edinburgh produced animated feature, The Illusionist which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival will open the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Demetrios Matheou writes 'The Illusionist is nothing less than an animated love letter to Edinburgh.'

Based on a screenplay by Jacques Tati, The Illusionist tells the story of a magician whose popularity has waned since the event of rock and roll and his struggle to find his place in the world. His life changes when he meets a young fan. The film is predominantly set in Mull and Edinburgh.

The production spent £8 million in Scotland which according to Scottish Screen makes The Illusionist the biggest-ever spend on a film and is already being heralded as a likely classic of Scottish Cinema.

2009 Best Year Ever
Edinburgh Film Focus are delighted to announce 2009 as the best year ever for filming in the Edinburgh City Region with direct spend and number of days’ filming exceeding all previous years’ figures.

2009 saw £4.2 million of direct spend from filming attracted to the City Region which is 34% up on 2008 plus filming days were up 10% to 1,100 days.

2010 starting well with John Landis in town to film Burke and Hare starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis.

Do you have a Press Enquiry?
Call Ros Davis, Production Liaison Manager, with questions. Tel: +44 (0)131 622 7336

Our photo gallery contains pictures from some of the sets we've been on in the Lothians & Scottish Borders.