Free and Low-Cost Activities at Glasgow Film Festival 2026

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Free and Low-Cost Activities at Glasgow Film Festival 2026

25th February until 8th March, 2026

Glasgow Film Festival’s 22nd edition opens Wednesday 25th February – it includes an extensive programme of free and affordable screenings and events.

Based at Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) and venues across the city, Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) presents a wide range of free and low-cost activities as part of its 2026 programme, ensuring audiences of all ages and backgrounds can experience world-class cinema and be part of the festival.

GFF26 will screen 126 films from 44 countries with 16 World, European, and International premieres, 68 UK premieres and 18 Scottish premieres.

Free Morning Retrospective: Truth to Power

Continuing GFF’s long-standing commitment to accessibility, audiences are invited to start each day of the festival with a free screening from the 2026 retrospective strand, Truth to Power. The programme features 10 films spanning the 1930s to 2014 that confront systems of power or depict acts of resistance.

Highlights include Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1966), depicting the Algerian war for independence; Stanley Kubrick’s darkly comic Dr Strangelove (1964); the 50th anniversary screening of All the President’s Men (1976); and Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), screening on 35mm, directed by and featuring George Clooney.

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All The President’s Men

The strand also features acclaimed biographical dramas including Ava DuVernay’s Oscar-nominated Selma (2014), Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich (2000), starring Julia Roberts in her Oscar-winning role, and In the Name of the Father (1993), with Daniel Day-Lewis portraying a man wrongfully convicted of terrorism.

In The Name Of The Father

Truth to Power screenings take place at 10.30am at GFT. Tickets cannot be booked in advance and are available from the GFT Box Office on the morning of the screening.

Take 2: Free Family Screenings

Eagle Huntress

Take 2 free family screenings take place every Saturday morning at 11.30am at GFT. This year’s festival screenings are The Eagle Huntress, an inspiring documentary following a Mongolian teenager defying gender expectations, and The Children of Bullerby Village, a joyful tale of childhood in rural Sweden. The latter also ties in with the festival’s Country Focus strand, Take a Chance on Me: Swedish Cinema. Every child attending Take 2 receives a free ticket for themselves and one for their accompanying adult. Free tickets are available on the day of the screening from GFT Box Office. Terms and conditions apply, see glasgowfilm.org for details.

Community Takeover Day

The Glasgow Film Festival Community Takeover Day returns as a free, community-led cinema celebration, created with and for the Garnethill community. Local residents will be invited to a Community Planning Meet-Up, they will select the film, food and activities for the wider community to enjoy.

Youth Takeover

Rebuilding

GFF26 Youth Takeover, hosted by the Glasgow Film Young Ambassadors, will present a free pop-up screening of Rebuilding for under-25s. The programme, including screenings, activities, live music and food, is co-curated by the Young Ambassadors.

Rebuilding, is the mesmerising modern cowboy film, starring Josh O-Connor, as a sensitive rancher slowly putting his life back together. Americana will come to Glasgow as Adelaide Place will turn into the Colorado desert for one night only.

The screening will be followed by a special, one-off set from acclaimed singer-songwriter Kirsten Adamson, daughter of the legendary Stuart Adamson (Big Country, Skids).

The Youth Takeover programme is supported by The Glasgow 2026 Festival developed and delivered by Glasgow Life.

This event is free but ticketed. To book

BFI Youth Industry Day

The Behind the Scenes BFI Youth Industry Day returns to GFF for an action-packed day of workshops and talks featuring outstanding film industry talent. With topics ranging from Sound Design and SFX Makeup to Costume and Production Design in period films

Super Nature

Ed Sayers, will be speaking at the latest instalment of the In the Director’s Chair series in advance of the GFF Scottish Premiere of his extraordinary collaborative documentary, Super Nature.

All events take place at Adelaide Place on Saturday 28 February 2026. Sessions are free but ticketed. Early booking is advised. We will reserve a small number of tickets for “sale” on the door.

These events are especially recommended for 15-25 year olds, but open to all members of the public, with the exception of the SFX Makeup workshop, which is exclusively for 15-25 year olds due to limited capacity.

Tickets and details

GFF Film Club

glasgow film club

New for 2026, GFF launches its first Film Club, ticketed on a sliding-scale basis where audiences can select the price that best reflects their circumstances. The club will host three feminist discussion events inspired by Carrie, Marie Antoinette and Born in Flames, all screening at the festival. Sessions will be facilitated by Dr Hannah Granberry, a Film Studies academic specialising in nostalgia, horror and cultural studies. With archive material from Glasgow Women’s Library available, audiences are invited to engage critically with the films in a discursive, participatory format. See glasgowfilm.org for tickets and details.

Marilyn Monroe 100

marilyn monroe 100

To mark 100 years since the birth of Marilyn Monroe, GFF26 will present a special selection of her films, with tickets priced at £7. Screenings include Niagara (1953), Some Like It Hot (1959), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), Don’t Bother to Knock (1961), and The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), screening on 35mm.

BFI National Archive: ‘Inside the Archive’

26 February – 5 March
Edward House
12pm – 6pm daily – Drop In no need to book

As part of this year’s festival, GFF will host the British Film Institute’s exhibition Inside the Archive, offering audiences a rare glimpse into the work of the BFI National Archive. One of the largest film and television collections in the world, the archive preserves the UK’s screen heritage and the people behind it. GFF is displaying the work as part of the exhibition’s nationwide tour.

Through interactive digital content, the exhibition explores how film and television are collected, preserved and restored. Visitors can engage with the exhibition via two touchscreen digital kiosks, alongside a display case and a large pop-up installation, making this a free, accessible and immersive experience for festival audiences.

On the weekend of 28 February and 1 March there will be a free and interactive family activity. The exhibition and activities are drop in with no booking necessary.

GFF @ Berlinkys

Berlinkys

Berlinkys will be open for a range of social events, hosted in conjunction with GFF, every night of the festival. The partnership with the popular entertainment venue on Sauchiehall Street will run with events open to the public from Thursday 26 February to Sunday 8 March. Events include live music, entertainment, stage performances and bandaoke. Two special events just for GFF are the GFF Film Quiz and GFF Movie Karaoke.

GFF Film Quiz and GFF Movie Karaoke are free to attend, with entry on a first come, first served basis, so we recommend you arrive early to guarantee your seat. Attendees must be aged 18 or over.

GFF Film Quiz

Monday 2 March at 8pm

A firm favourite with GFF audiences, teams of six can compete on film trivia for some excellent prizes. This is a free event, with a suggested donation of £3 encouraged on the night. Entry is on a first come, first served basis.

Actor and musician Tom Urie will host the special movie-themed smartphone quiz.

GFF Movie Karaoke

gff26

Tuesday 3 March at 7.30pm

Our much-loved GFF Movie Karaoke returns for another year. This will be a night of musical madness, adding a certain ‘twist’ to your film related favourites. Perform solo or with your pals until the early hours.

This year’s event will be hosted by performer Craig Manson. There may even be a surprise appearance from up-and-coming starlet Bunny (unless she finds something better to do…)

GFF Movie Karaoke is free to attend, with entry on a first come-first served basis so we recommend you arrive early to guarantee your seat.

HOW TO GET TICKETS

Information on how to access GFF’s free or discounted screenings and buy tickets for events is available at the GFT Box Office, online at glasgowfilm.org or by calling 0141 332 6535. Terms and conditions apply, see glasgowfilm.org or details.

Paul Gallagher, Head of Programme at Glasgow Film Festival, said: I’m so pleased that GFF can offer free and low-cost events that ensure the festival remains open to the community. Our free morning retrospective screenings, free family screenings and Inside the Archive exhibition all ensure people can access Scotland’s biggest film festival without having to spend any money on tickets.

“The community and youth takeovers also reflect an essential aspect of Glasgow Film Festival: creating an inclusive, collaborative space where audiences participate in and shape the experience of the festival.

“Everyone is welcome at GFF and everyone is included. That commitment is at the heart of what we call ‘Cinema For All’ and I can’t wait for people across Glasgow to experience the breadth of experiences on offer at the festival.”

GFF is Scotland’s flagship film festival and is run by Glasgow Film, a charity which also runs Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT). The festival is made possible by support from Screen Scotland and the BFI Audience Projects Fund, both awarding National Lottery funding, and Glasgow Life, the charity which delivers culture, events and active living in Glasgow.