EIFF Youth is the new name for the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Youth Programme – a series of screenings, workshops and careers advice for 15- 25 year olds, co -curated by our Young Programmers and Youth Advisory Group.

It ran from June 20 to 29 June 2019 at its very own pop venue – EIFF Youth HQ – and was attended by almost 300 young people with a passion for film.

The Young Programmers hosted and attended a wealth of events during at EIFF Youth HQ. Throughout the 8 days of EIFF Youth, they all got the opportunities to meet professionals from a wide range of disciplines as well as getting a taste for working for a film festival and watch a whole lot of films! They hosted In Person events with director Ninian Doff, costume designer Nina Ayres and actor Bella Ramsey. They also took part in practical workshops including VR filmmaking, prop design, lighting for film and sound effect.

Our Young Programmers also attended the opening night of Edinburgh International Film Festival. The film Boyz in the Wood is directed by Ninian Doff who started his career in the 90s with SKAM (Scottish Kids are Making Film), an earlier version of Young Programmers. Young Programmers also attended the European premiere of the film, which was a great experience. They walked the red carpet alongside local talents including Shauna MacDonald, Jack Lowden and the cast of Boyz in the Wood.  In his In Person at EIFF Youth HQ spoke to the audience about getting started in the industry, the benefits of initiatives such as Young Programmers and his own journey in the film business.