The Scottish Youth Film Festival (SYFF) has announced that its 2026 festival will take place in Ayrshire this October, bringing together young filmmakers, industry professionals and film enthusiasts from across Scotland for two days of inspiration, learning and celebration.
The annual free festival, which celebrates the creativity and talent of young people aged 12 to 26, moves to a different location each year to ensure that opportunities are accessible to young people across Scotland, regardless of where they live.
This year, the festival will be hosted at Prestwick Academy on Friday 2 October and Saturday 3 October 2026, offering a packed programme of film screenings, workshops, networking opportunities, industry insights and awards.
The festival will open with the New Talent Showcase on Friday 2 October from 6.00pm to 9.00pm, an exclusive event for filmmakers aged 19 to 26.
The evening will feature screenings of short films created by young Scottish filmmakers, opportunities to connect with industry professionals and fellow creatives, and an "In Conversation" Q&A with television producer Sarah Purser, who will discuss her work on the upcoming Scottish drama Wax Fruit.
The main festival takes place on Saturday 3 October from 10.00am to 4.30pm and is open to young people aged 12 to 26.
Whether attendees are exploring filmmaking for the first time or already taking steps into the screen industries, the day will offer something for everyone. The programme will include practical workshops, talks, panel discussions, one-to-one sessions with industry professionals, film screenings, networking opportunities and awards presentations. Attendees will also have access to exhibitor areas and a complimentary lunch.
Further programme announcements and ticket details will be released in the coming weeks, with organisers working alongside a number of local Ayrshire partners to deliver the event.
The Scottish Youth Film Festival is produced by the Scottish Youth Film Foundation and supported by Screen Scotland.
David Barras, Founder of SYFF, said: "We can't wait to welcome young filmmakers from across Scotland to Ayrshire this October. The Scottish Youth Film Festival is all about celebrating creativity, building connections and helping young people discover opportunities within the screen industries.
“Keeping the festival free to attend is incredibly important to us, ensuring as many young people as possible can take part. We are hugely grateful to Screen Scotland for their continued funding and support, which helps us create these opportunities and nurture the next generation of Scottish filmmaking talent."
Fi Milligan-Rennie, Head of Education at Screen Scotland said: “It’s fantastic to be able to continue our support for the Scottish Youth Film Festival. SYFF strongly compliments our Film and Screen Curriculum work, breaking down the many and varied roles in the screen industry and highlighting possible career paths for young people in Scotland. This is incredibly important in widening access to and diversity of the screen workforce in Scotland in the years to come.”