Vision of film centre for Edinburgh revived after 15 years

LONG-running plans for a multi-million-pound film centre in Edinburgh are set to be revived - more than 15 years after the idea was first floated.

• An earlier proposal for a film centre for the capital

The head of Scotland's new film body has thrown his weight behind the concept, already backed by Sir Sean Connery, and vowed to make it one of his top priorities.

Gavin Miller, who is now responsible for the capital's Filmhouse cinema and its long-running film festival, told The Scotsman he believed a new state-of-the-art complex could be delivered in the next five to ten years if funding could be secured.

Mr Miller, chief executive of the recently-formed Centre for the Moving Image, said a landmark cultural centre which would become home for the organisation was a viable proposition for the city, despite concerns over a lack of suitable sites.

However, he warned that the venture may take several years to get off the ground due to the expected high costs involved and the need to stabilise the future of the film festival, which is currently looking for an artistic director.

The new complex would feature a number of cinema screens with a capacity of up to 300, a cafe-bar, film shop, delegate centre, exhibition space, and offices for both the film festival and the Filmhouse.

Both organisations have been involved with talks about the venture since the mid-1990s and plans for a site at Festival Square - next to the existing Filmhouse and opposite the Usher Hall - were revealed six years ago.

However, they met with a cool response from the city council which owned the site, and the five-star Sheraton Grand Hotel, which also sits before the venue.

The plans were shelved in recent years while the film festival was rescheduled to an earlier date in the calendar before it was officially merged with the Filmhouse. However, the advent of a new culture quarter in the area around Lothian Road and the creation of the new company to take control of the film festival is thought to have given the idea fresh impetus.

Mr Miller, a former commercial director with BBC Worldwide, was appointed chief executive of the CMI in July. He will be leading efforts to raise the profile of the film festival, promote Scottish-made films, attract investment in the industry and help rear new talent.

It emerged earlier this week that Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton, a patron of the film festival, has agreed to help the new company.She and regular collaborator Mark Cousins have been appointed creative advisors to the CMI.

Mr Miller said: "The vision for a physical building is still very much alive.

"It's early days at the moment, but I think it is achievable within the next five-ten years when you take into account how long it would take to design and build such a centre.

"You only have to look at the success of somewhere like the Bell Lightbox centre in Toronto to see what can be achieved.

"Obviously we would have to put together a case for funding and identify a suitable site, but it's definitely a priority for the next few years."

The CMI was rocked in August when Hannah McGill, artistic director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, revealed she was quitting the post after four years.