The Edinburgh International Film Festival has unveiled an expanded 2026 industry programme, bringing together high-profile filmmakers, actors and executives for five days of talks, panels and networking events. The line-up includes Kenneth Branagh, Ewan McGregor, Bruce Dern and Ken Burns, alongside producers and rising talent, reflecting the festival's ambition to strengthen its standing as a hub for UK and international film industry professionals.

Branagh will receive the festival's inaugural Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award and appear in an on-stage conversation, while McGregor will take part in a separate in-conversation event with BAFTA Scotland. Producer Christine Vachon will headline a session titled "Would This Get Made?" with executives from Film4, BBC Film and Altitude, and the festival will also launch its inaugural UK Film Conference on 15 August, opening with a keynote from BFI chief executive Ben Roberts. Running from 13 to 19 August, the programme features additional sessions including "New Nightmares" on genre filmmaking and "Unmaking the Colonial Gaze in Cinema", plus daily networking events with partners such as the BFI, Women in Film and Television, and Screen Scotland.