Our History

In the summer of 2017, a group of passionate student filmmakers from the University of St Andrews founded the Filmmakers’ Society of St Andrews, with the aim of building a vibrant filmmaking community on campus. Their vision was to equip students with the tools and inspiration to hone their filmmaking skills and artistic expression. This initiative led to the creation of The St Andrews Film Festival, supported by the University of St Andrews and Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA).

The festival debuted in April 2018, marking a significant milestone for St Andrews by bringing together local and Scottish filmmakers. Highlights included talks from filmmaker Walid Salhab and Laura Walde, Curator of the International Film Festival Kurzfilmtage Winterthur. The festival elevated the town's filmmaking profile and earned recognition, including the Best New Society Award at the 2018 Your Union Society Awards.

In 2019, the festival expanded its reach with a UK-wide competition, attracting sponsorship from local businesses, DCA, NFTS, London Film School, Raindance Film Festival, and others. Filmmakers from across the UK gathered at the Byre Theatre in St Andrews, with industry professionals delivering insightful talks. The Filmmakers’ Society and SAFF’s continued success was recognized with the Award for Continued Excellence at the 'Your Union Society Awards.'