Cinema of Scotland

Cinema of Scotland
Opened in 1913, the Campbeltown Picture House is Scotland's oldest purpose-built cinema[1]
No. of screens	1,140 (2025)[2]
Main distributors	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures StudioCanal Universal Pictures Pathé 20th Century Studios Entertainment One BBC Scotland Screen Scotland
Produced feature films (2021)[3]
Total	£617.4 million
Animated	£27.1 million
Documentary	£7.6 million
Number of admissions (2019)[4]
Total	14 million
National films	£99.8 million
Gross box office (2021)[5]
Total	£45.7 million

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The film and cinema industry in Scotland is largely supported by Screen Scotland, the executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which provides financial support, direction and development opportunities for film production in the country.^[6] The Screen Commission of Screen Scotland provides support for incoming productions to Scotland, ranging from scripted, unscripted, live-action and animation productions.^[7] The country is able to offer tax reliefs for film and high-end TV productions which are devolved in Scotland.^[8]

Productions for film and screen in Scotland generated over £52 million to the economy of Scotland in 2016.^[9] In 2019, an estimated £398 million was spent on the production of film, television and other audio content in Scotland.^[10] The top grossing Scottish films at the UK box office include Trainspotting (£12 million), The Last King of Scotland (£5.6 million), Shallow Grave (£5.1 million) and Sunshine on Leith (£4.6 million).^[11][12]

The country has produced a number of world–renowned actors who have achieved critical acclaim and commercial success for their roles in film. Sean Connery was the first actor to portray James Bond in film, appearing in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983.^[13] Other notable Scottish actors of film and screen include Tilda Swinton, Ncuti Gatwa, Alan Cumming, Ewan McGregor, Karen Gillan, Robert Carlyle, David Tennant, Gerard Butler, James McAvoy and Kelly Macdonald.^[14]