The stage is set for the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh to install new digital cinema facilities which will give it the capability to host major film premieres. It will also be able to screen

35 mm film, providing a flexible facility for showing a variety of film formats.

Installation of the new equipment will create Scotland's largest digital cinema and provide a 1,600 seat film venue with high quality front-of-house facilities.  Work will start immediately to ensure the new cinema facility is up and running for this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The project is going ahead with funding of £245,000 from the Scottish Government to theatre managers, the Festival City Theatres Trust.

Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said:

"This project will put Edinburgh firmly in the spotlight as a venue for movie premieres, and enhance Scotland's digital cinematic offering.

"The new cinema facilities will be ready for this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival, showcasing the venue to a worldwide audience of film distributors, while providing a fantastic new venue for film fanatics in Scotland.

"The Festival Theatre is already an established venue for theatre, music, dance and opera.  The addition of cinema facilities will extend and enrich the theatre's programming capability."

John Stalker, Chief Executive of Festival City Theatres Trust, said:

"We are so excited. Together with our soon to be constructed rehearsal facility, the installation of digital cinema completes the original vision and ambition for the Festival Theatre to be Scotland's pre-eminent national centre for the creative arts.

"We look forward to working with the Edinburgh International Film Festival, providing it with an elegant and dramatic setting for its red carpet events, screenings and premieres. Throughout the year we also hope to enrich our programme with unique film presentations as well as ultimately broadcasting work performed at the Festival Theatre to other venues around Scotland and beyond.

"This is a unique opportunity for the City and for Scotland and we are thrilled that the Festival Theatre is to play such a central role in the future of the Film Festival."

Hannah McGill, Artistic Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival said:

"'We at EIFF are tremendously excited to add the spectacular Festival Theatre to our list of valued venue partners throughout the city. This is a terrific boost for the Festival and for Edinburgh's standing in the world of film."

Ken Hay, Chief Executive of Scottish Screen, said:

"This is fantastic news.  The Edinburgh International Film Festival is the UK's premier film festival.  Creating Scotland's largest digital cinema in Edinburgh will provide the festival with an excellent red carpet venue and give audiences a superb experience."