Film aficionados in Edinburgh, Scotland received some good news this week. The Edinburgh Filmhouse, which abruptly closed on 6 October 2022 when its parent company Centre for the Movie Image (CMI) went into administration, has taken a significant step towards its revival with the signing of a 25-year renewable lease for its iconic 88 Lothian Road location.

When Filmhouse originally closed in 2022 a grassroots group of activists, film industry professionals and former employees immediately launched a Save the Filmhouse campaign. Even so, administrators sold the historic cinema to Caledonian Heritable, a real estate investment company, in April 2023 for GBP £2.65 million (USD $3.33 million). Meanwhile, the group’s crowdfunding campaign raised GBP £300,000 (USD $389,000) to renovate the cinema and was awarded GBP £1.4 million (USD $1.82 million) from the UK Levelling Up Community Ownership Fund. The Edinburgh City Council recently kicked in another GBP £60,000 (USD $77,8000) for the cause.

Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd., the charity now behind the cinema’s revival and operation, finalized the lease agreement with Caledonian, which includes plans for the cinema’s renovation and expansion. The remodel will add a fourth screen, update the cafe and bar, increase accessibility and reduce the seating from 450 to 350. The expansion will enhance the Filmhouse’s ability to offer a wider range of films and events to Edinburgh’s cinephiles. The work will take several months and likely won’t be complete before 2025.

In addition to securing the lease, the Filmhouse has announced two prominent figures from the Scottish film industry as its new patrons: acclaimed director Charlotte Wells and actor Jack Lowden. Their involvement is expected to boost the cinema’s profile and support its mission to showcase diverse and innovative cinema.

“Our team at Screen Scotland saw from the outset what the loss of the Filmhouse would mean and threw themselves at the challenge of resurrecting it,” Isabel Davis, Executive Director of Screen Scotland said in a statement. “We’re delighted to see Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd. sign the lease with Caledonian Heritable. It’s wonderful that the dedicated Filmhouse team can now begin the refurbishment which will take us all a step closer to opening the doors of this key cultural asset.”