Trainspotting Cast and Crew Reunite in Leith

The cast and crew of Trainspotting returned to Edinburgh on Friday night for a special 30th anniversary screening as part of this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).

Robbie Collin, The Telegraph’s in-house film critic, hosted a panel that included original Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, the film’s screenwriter John Hodge as well as Ewen Bremner and Kevin McKidd, who played fan-favourite Spud and fitness fanatic Tommy, respectively. Ewan McGregor himself also joined in, just after his In Conversation event with Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle at Central Hall earlier in the day.

Everyone in the crowd received a bright orange Spud bucket hat emblazoned with the ‘Choose life’ mantra as they entered the building, included with their ticket. Standing in the second row of Leith Theatre and looking behind me, the whole crowd was covered in what looked to be a massive, orange wave. What can I say? We Scots love getting a freebie on the door!

The film was projected in full 4K against a huge screen, and the panelists were encouraged to chime in with any anecdotes or easter eggs from their time on the film, which was shot in 1995, which led to some great moments. You wouldn’t think it, but in the scene where the boys travel out to go on a hike up Leum Uilleim at Tommy’s behest, the cast and crew had to film everything that day before the train came back into Corrour Station, or they’d have been stuck there all night.

Their trip on the rails was well worth the time, though, as Renton’s furious speech against Scottishness itself (as well as the English) got the biggest cheer and applause of the night. A testament, then, to the lasting resonance of this brilliant film that really does stand as quintessential 90s viewing.

The night was capped off by an energetic techno set with Welsh himself as the disc jockey, with clubbers going wild as he wheeled out each of the film’s needle drops and the on-site bars served lager, lager, lager into the wee small hours.

If you missed Friday night’s showing or if you just need another hit, Trainspotting’s 30th Anniversary re-release is in cinemas on 21 August.

EIFF 2026; Trainspotting 30th Anniversary Screening; Edinburgh International Film Festival, Aug 2026;