What's On Scotland 12-19 Aug: Edinburgh International Film Festival & more

Another week, another major international festival. It's hard living in Edinburgh, but we guess someone has to do it. Kicking off today, the Edinburgh International Film Festival returns to our cinemas and outdoor screens from 12-20 August.

With a new director at the helm, this edition feels like a whole new rodeo, in the best possible way. There are the usual big names involved, with opening and closing galas for Paul Mescal-vehicle Aftersun and the long-awaited Kogonada sophomore feature After Yang. But here's also a remarkable selection of more underground or undiscovered international cinema that you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere.

Some of our favourites include My Small Land, a delicate, devastating portrait of a Kurdish refugee family living in Japan, Iranian cinema adventure Winners, and The Skinny-sponsored Please Baby Please, which our film editor described as a queer and crazy West Side Story. Get booking here!

Peripheral Visions: CineSkinny
CodeBase, Edinburgh. 15 Aug, 6pm
Join us this Monday for a live recording of The Skinny's film podcast The CineSkinny, presented in partnership with the Edinburgh International Film Festival. We'll be reviewing our faves, interviewing filmmaker Will Anderson, and there will also be free gin! You can get your (free!) tickets here. Image: Giulio Castagnaro.

Stereo Presents: Ehua, Nyksan, Maveen
Stereo, Glasgow. 12 Aug, 11pm
Stereo kicks off its August programme with this stand-out lineup of DJs: Colombian producer and founder of label TraTraTrax Nyskan, Italian-Ivorian producer Ehua, and support from Glaswegian Maveen. Their music spans techno, electro, and Latin American resistance music - heartfelt and energetic. Image: Gaïa de Crecy.

ADVERTISEMENT | LATE'N'LIVE
Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh. Until 29 Aug, 11:30pm
The Fringe's #1 late night line up show is BACK, featuring a stellar bill of the very best acts from across the festival every night. Line-ups include Maisie Adam, Ivo Graham, Randy Feltface, Troye Hawk, Grace Campbell and many more! Book your tickets now at tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk or in-person at any of our venues.

Liz Kingsman: One-Woman Show
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. 16-28 Aug
A head-spinning meta take on the rise of the solo, confessional show (as popularised by the likes of Fleabag), Liz Kingsman’s One-Woman Show created waves (mostly of hilarity) when it showed at London last year. It’s coming to the Fringe for a limited run: expect a genre-breaking, entirely ludicrous mediation on the gendered ways women are allowed to be funny. Image: Traverse Theatre.

Lin Chau: Moving Landscapes
Glasgow Print Studio, Glasgow. Until 27 Aug
Sketching from the natural landscape before transforming the pieces through print and filmmaking, Lin Chau's mediations on her environment are rooted both in its reality and her affective interpretation. This exhibition brings together a series of works created throughout the UK and Scotland, capturing the energy and dynamism of our wild environments. Image: Lin Chau/Glasgow Print Studio.

ADVERTISEMENT | #DANISH
Various venues, Edinburgh. Until 28 Aug
“Original”, “Mesmerizing Actor“, “Brilliant“, “Amazing concept“ the first viewers describe the #DANISH works. Discover the gems from Denmark: Energetic and fun dance show WALK-MAN by DON GNU + Award-winning political theatre ROCKY! by Fix&Foxy + engaging live-streamed radio performance TUESDAY NIGHT SLEEPING CLUB at ZOO Venues. Astonishing works by Danish choreographer Palle Granhøj at Dancebase: AN EVE AND AN ADAM + THIS IS NOT SWANLAKE + BOLERO EXTENDED.

Edinburgh International Book Festival
Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh. 13-29 Aug
There’s a strong thread of optimism running through this year’s book festival, with a wonderfully rich programme themed around “All Together Now”. Highlights include the likes of Monica Ali, Ottessa Moshfegh (pictured) and Torrey Peters, as well as appearances from giants of the non-book world: think Succession’s Logan Roy (wait, no, we mean Brian Cox) and PJ Harvey. Image: Jake Belcher.

 

Farah Saleh and Oğuz Kaplangi: A Wee Journey
Tramway, Glasgow. 12-13 Aug, 7pm
Blending choreography from Palestinian artist Farah Saleh and stunning music compositions from Oğuz Kaplangi, A Wee Journey is a probing exploration of migration and belonging, reflecting on a world where the instability of borders and states can turn anyone into a migrant. Catch its preview performances in Glasgow’s Tramway before it travels to the Edinburgh International Festival. Image: Mihaela Bodlovic.

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Underbelly Bristo Square, Edinburgh. Until 28 Aug, 3:30pm
BOOM is the show everyone’s talking about!
Don’t miss the incredible story of connection after the outbreak of war in Ukraine between young circus performers. The Gen Z artists from Ukraine and Czechia perform phenomenal circus talent, mesmerising dance and enchanting music. Celebrating freedom and friendship, this show is not to be missed. Book tickets now

★★★★ “An effervescent display of acrobatic collaboration that never loses sight of a shared humanity” - The Guardian

Ibeyi
Leith Theatre, Edinburgh. 18 Aug, 8pm
Part of the Edinburgh International Festival's remarkable programme of contemporary music, this performance at Leith Theatre is as international as the festival gets. Paris-born, Havana-raised, win sisters Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz blend English, French, Spanish and Yoruba songwriting, drawing on and recrafting a remarkable Afro-Cuban tradition.