National Film and Television School and Sean Connery Foundation To Establish Permanent New Home In Edinburgh With Launch Of The NFTS Sean Connery Institute

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) and the Sean Connery Foundation are proud to announce a new long-term partnership which will see the creation of the NFTS Sean Connery Institute, a vibrant new filmmaking centre in the heart of Edinburgh with ambitions to benefit Scotland’s screen sector for generations to come. 

Launching in 2027, the NFTS Sean Connery Institute will bring together and significantly expand the NFTS’ work in Scotland under one banner, with a mission to discover and develop the next generation of Scottish film and television talent, and help them build lasting careers. It will provide world-class training, responding directly to the evolving needs of Scotland’s buoyant film and television sector. 

By establishing a permanent home in Edinburgh, we are putting down roots and making a long-term commitment to help Scotland’s emerging talent build lasting careers.
 

The NFTS and the Sean Connery Foundation share a bold ambition for this new partnership: to bridge the gap between studying or emerging as new talent and building a successful, sustainable career in film and television. By creating a strong foundation for talent development in the region, the initiative aims to support the growth of filmmakers and help ensure that Scotland’s diverse voices are heard both nationally and internationally.

At the heart of the new partnership is the ambition to establish a permanent home for the NFTS in Scotland for the first time. The NFTS and the Sean Connery Foundation have committed to opening a new HQ in central Edinburgh within the next 18 months, providing a focal point for Scotland’s wider screen community. Alongside delivering the NFTS’ world-leading training programmes, the Institute plans to host a regular public programme of screenings, masterclasses, conversations and events, celebrating Scottish filmmaking while connecting audiences and emerging talent with leading filmmakers and industry figures from across the UK and internationally. 
 

The creation of the NFTS Sean Connery Institute builds on nine years of NFTS activity in Scotland under the banner of NFTS Scotland and the success of the School’s flagship training initiative, the Sean Connery Talent Lab. Led by Scottish producer Chris Young and launched in 2023 with the Sean Connery Foundation, supported by BBC Film and a raft of partners, the Lab is currently in production with its third cohort and is an intensive year-long development programme bringing together emerging Scottish writers, directors, producers, cinematographers and editors. 

Since its inception, the Talent Lab has supported 75 filmmakers, providing intensive workshops, mentoring, story development and practical filmmaking experience. Participants have gone on to secure representation, find employment and take significant steps forward in their careers, while the 12 films created through the Lab to date were selected for consecutive world premieres at the Edinburgh Film Festival (EIFF) in 2025 and 2026. 

The Sean Connery Talent Lab will remain at the heart of the NFTS Sean Connery Institute, while new opportunities will be developed across further genres, disciplines and areas of production.

Crucially, the Institute’s ambition will extend beyond training. Its programmes will be designed around one clear pathway: Discover, Train, Create, Community and Work – identifying talent from across Scotland, developing skills, providing opportunities to make ambitious new work and creating an active graduate community.  

Jon Wardle, Director of the National Film and Television School said: “This is a hugely significant step for the NFTS and represents the next chapter of our commitment to Scotland. Nine years ago, our work in Scotland began with a relatively simple ambition: to bring the NFTS’ world-class training closer to Scotland’s screen industry and respond to its skills needs. Since then, thousands of people have been trained and we have seen first-hand the depth of talent that exists across the country. 
The NFTS Sean Connery Institute will allow us to take that work to an entirely new level. Together with the Sean Connery Foundation, we have an extraordinary opportunity to build on Sean’s legacy and his deep connection to Scotland by creating a genuine pathway into and through the Scottish screen industry. By establishing a permanent home in Edinburgh, we are putting down roots and making a long-term commitment to help Scotland’s emerging talent build lasting careers.” 

Jason and Stephane Connery, on behalf of the Sean Connery Foundation added: “Our father believed deeply in fairness, hard work, and supporting talented people in need. He understood that while talent may be distributed equally, opportunity is not, and that those who demonstrate determination and endeavour should have the chance to fulfil their potential. He was immensely proud of his Scottish roots, and we know he would be so pleased that we are extending our partnership with the NFTS and deepening our relationship with his home town of Edinburgh. After three tremendous years proving what is possible through the work of the Sean Connery Talent Lab, this next chapter allows us to create opportunities for even more talented Scots across the creative, technical and production disciplines that make filmmaking possible. We are proud to make this long-term commitment in his name and in keeping with the values he held dear.”

For more info on the NFTS Sean Connery Institute, go to: nfts.co.uk/nfts-sean-connery-institute