Fiends in the Furrows- Folk Horror Film Fest to Descend on Leith this April

Fans of folk horror are sure to get their fill this April as Leith’s newest film festival, Fiends in the Furrows, brings new releases and cult classics to the big screen.

Poster by Theo Cleary Art

Edinburgh has become a hub of film festivals, but ever since Dead by Dawn ended (though set to return in 2027) the city has faced a significant lack of horror-based film fests. Now Leith Kino and Cinetopia bring Fiends in the Furrows, an exploration into the history and future of the folk-horror sub-genre. The festival has already created an anticipatory buzz around the city, and today they announced even more screenings to its already impressive line-up.

The festival kicks off at the Leith Dockers Club on Friday 23^rd with a screening of Ken Russell’s The Lair of the White Worm. The cult classic is a perfect pick to set the tone for what to expect of Fiends in the Furrows; a weird and wonderful celebration of ominous folk-horror. The festival continues with a number of screenings on Saturday 24^th: Viy, Ganja & Hess, Noroi: The Curse, The Devil and Clearcut. I’m especially enthusiastic about Noroi: The Curse screening as part of the festival, purely so that more people will see the film if they haven’t already. Noroi is a disturbing look into Japanese folklore from the early 2000s boom of J-horror and found footage films, now classed as an essential watch for someone wanting to explore international additions to the sub-genres.

Noroi: The Curse dir. Kōji Shiraishi

The festival continues on Saturday 25^th with a day of folk-horror classics. You can debate on the mass love-hate relationship audiences have with M. Night Shymalan’s The Village and Leith Depot will host screenings of La Llorana and Eve’s Bayou. The third day of the festival rounds off with the original masterclass in folk-horror The Wickerman at Dock Place. There’s no doubt this screening in particular will prove popular amongst fans of the sub-genre, so I’d recommend getting your tickets fast since the screening is already close to selling out.

On Sunday 26^th, the final day of the festival, you can relieve your childhood terror with Watership Down. All screenings on the final day will take place outdoors at Dock Place, including showings of Enys Men and The Last Sacrifice. The real standout screening for the final day is the closing film of the festival; Mark Jenkin’s Rose of Nevada. After receiving rave reviews at Glasgow Film Festival last month, I’m sure Edinburgh audiences are eager to see Callum Turner and Rob Mackay star in the blend of sci-fi and folklore.

Rose of Nevada dir. Mark Jenkin

As a devoted horror fan, Fiends in the Furrows can’t come soon enough. With the festival fast approaching, and enthusiasm building, I’d recommend booking your tickets soon!

Fiends in the Furrows will run throughout Leith between 23^rd- 26^th April 2026. Keep your eyes out on the festival’s website as workshops, talks and more events are still to be announced.

Tickets and festival passes available at: www.fiendsinthefurrows.com