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Edinburgh’s Best Films

Relocating to Edinburgh

Of course here at Cameron Stephen & Co., we know how fantastic a city Edinburgh truly is but it seems film directors are also in agreement with the number of movie Edinburgh has played host for in the past.

With the Edinburgh Film Festival 2017 officially starting today, we’re taking a look at some of our favourite films shot right here in the city of Edinburgh, as well as where exactly you can reenact your own scenes of the film, should you wish!


Trainspotting

No Edinburgh film list would be complete without a mention of the city’s best known (& arguably most loved) movie, Trainspotting. The iconic opening scene featuring Ewan McGregor as Mark Renton running the length of Princes Street, eventually stopping as he is hit by a car pulling out at the bottom of the steps at the Black Bull pub. As most Edinburgh locals know, it seems odd that a car would be going at any speed at this point, due it only being a parking space but it remains iconic none-the-less. Much of Trainspotting was also filmed in Glasgow but much more of it’s recent sequel, Trainspotting T2 was filmed back here in Edinburgh, including Arthur’s Seat and a journey on The Edinburgh Trams.

One Day

Another film with an opening scene of Edinburgh, One Day featuring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess follows the lives of Emma and Dexter who meet at University in Edinburgh, throughout their lives to London and beyond. The film does leave our beautiful city of Edinburgh behind at times but the ending on Arthur’s Seat, as well as the flash backs to their University life makes for a love story like no other. And the aerial shots of the city will make you fall in love with Edinburgh all over again.

New Town Killers

Perhaps less known than some Edinburgh films, New Town Killers is a crime, action-drama film which follows and a chilling game of hide & seek across the city of Edinburgh. The game is between two bankers (played by Dougray Scott & Alastair Mackenzie) and a young orphaned Edinburgh boy (James Anthony Pearson) who is consumed by family debt; all in the name of money. You can expect to see some less-assuming areas of Edinburgh, including back alley-ways and roof tops which will seem familiar but often take a bit of thought to to place exactly where they are.

Sunshine on Leith

Something a bit more fun and one that is perhaps less-known worldwide…but undoubtedly a guilty pleasure with Edinburgh locals. Sunshine on Leith is a musical-film set around the classic songs of the The Proclaimers, the musical duet of Leith-born brothers. The story itself is a bit lacking but it’s more than made-up for in the enthusiastic singing of all The Proclaimers best known songs. Expect lots of shots of Edinburgh – particularly our beloved Leith – as well as plenty of young Scottish talent.

Burke and Hare

The famous story of two of Edinburgh’s historical grave robbers has a comedy twist by none other than Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis. Although the story itself veers away from the original true-story (which wasn’t much of a comedy!), you can expect to see plenty of cobbled streets and well-known city back drops, with a lot of Burke and Hare being shot in Old Town Edinburgh.

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