"SI-FAN IS A FESTIVAL WHICH SPANS THE QUIRKY, THE SURREAL, THE FANTASTIC AND FANTASTICAL. A WONDERFUL SPECTRUM OF CINEMATIC GEMS PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF GENRE". BAFTA WINNING DIRECTOR MORAG MCKINNON.
SI-FAN IS RUN BY A DEDICATED BUNCH OF GENRE-LOVING VOLUNTEERS WITH AN INTEREST IN BRINGING COOL FILMS TO SCOTLAND AND HELPING THE NEXT WAVE OF GENRE FILMMAKING TALENT.
WE WANT TO BE THE COOLEST FILM AND ARTS FESTIVAL IN SCOTLAND. WE LOVE ALL THINGS CONSIDERED FANTASTICAL GENRE THAT TRANSPORT THE AUDIENCE TO DIFFERENT WORLDS. AND WE KNOW MANY AUDIENCES IN SCOTLAND DO AS WELL.
SI-FAN WAS FOUNDED BY CHRIS AITKEN, WHO ALSO FOUNDED THE SHORT COMEDY FILM AND ANIMATION FESTIVAL SHORT COM. A BAFTA AND BIFA QUALIFYING FILM FESTIVAL RENOWNED ACROSS THE WORLD FOR THE QUALITY OF ITS PROGRAMMING AND ADVOCACY FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH. AND IS APPLYING THE SAME PRINCIPLES TO SI-FAN.
IN OUR SHORT SPELL TO DATE WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE GIVEN SEVERAL SCOTTISH PREMIERES TO INTERNATIONAL GENRE TITLES SUCH AS THE FRENCH AINMATED SCI-FI NOIR MARS EXPRESS ALL THE WAY TO THE BONKERS ESTONINAN COMEDY HORROR MUSICAL SUPER LOW BUDGET CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING. WE ALSO LIKE TO DO SCREENINGS IN UNEXPECTED PLACES. AS PART OF THE FESTIVAL IN 2025, WE DID OUR FIRST EVER 'HIDDEN CINEMA' A SECRET DOUBLE BILL AT A FORMER NUCLEAR BUNKER.
WE ALSO ABSOLUTELY BLOODY LOVE SHORT FILMS. AND ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE SCREENED OVER A HUNDRED SHORTS ACROSS LIVE ACTION, ANIMATION, INTERNATIONAL AND SCOTLAND SINCE OUR FIRST SCREENING IN NOVEMBER 2023.
WE ARE AN INCLUSIVE FESTIVAL THAT LOOKS TO PROGRAMME A WIDE AND DIVERSE RANGE OF FILMS FOR ALL AUDIENCES.
MISSION
ALONGSIDE BEING A FESTIVAL FOR AUDIENCES. WE ARE DEDICATED TO CHAMPIONING EMERGING SCOTTISH FILMMAKING TALENT. WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE A DEDICATED SCOTTISH SHORTS AWARD CATEGORY, SPONSORED BY KIT HIRE FIRM NO DRAMA. WE BELIEVE THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF TALENT IN SCOTLAND THAT WANT TO MAKE FILMS THAT ENTERTAIN AUDIENCES BUT ARE LARGELY ABANDONED BY THE NATIONAL FUNDING BODY. WE ALSO WANT TO HELP CONNECT GENRE PRODUCING CREATIVES IN OTHER INDUSTRIES TO SEE IDEAS BROUGHT TO LIFE.
WE ALSO RECOGNISE THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER FESTIVALS IN THE UK WITH A FOCUS ON HELPING THE FANTASTICAL GENRE COMMUNITY. SO WE ARE AIMING TO BE THE GO-TO FILM FESTIVAL FOR GENRE AND COMEDY FILMMAKERS LOOKING TO LEARN, BE INSPIRED AND FIND OTHER TALENTED AND HUNGRY CREATIVES, LOOKING TO MAKE LOW BUDGET GENRE AND COMEDY FILMS.
OUR FIRST SCRIPT TO SCREEN INDUSTRY PROGRAMME IS SET TO TAKE PLACE ON MAY 2ND IN EDINBURGH
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