SCOTLAND’S MOBILE CINEMA
Regional Screen Scotland operates the Screen Machine, a 72-seat, air-conditioned, digital mobile cinema that has brought the cinematic experience to areas of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland since it started in 1998.
The Screen Machine service is funded by Creative Scotland and Screen Scotland.
Screen Machine is a 72-seat digital mobile cinema owned and operated by Regional Screen Scotland (RSS). Launched in 1998, it brings the latest film releases to over 40 communities throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
As it travels between communities, Screen Machine looks like any other lorry driving the roads or boarding the ferries of Scotland. But when it arrives at its destination, its trailer slowly expands and unfolds to create an auditorium wherein 72 people can comfortably sit and enjoy a cinematic experience identical to that in a static cinema. Our visits can last between 2 to 4 days, depending on the location, and we like to offer a variety of films for our customers. You can see a map of our locations here.
Since the Screen Machine service started in 1998, we have used three mobile cinemas: Screen Machine 1 (from 1998 to 2005), Screen Machine 2 (2005 to 2023), and the Cinemobile (2023 to 2026), which we leased from Toutenkamion in France while fundraising to build Screen Machine 3. Following successful conclusion of the Save Our Screen Machine campaign, we expect Screen Machine 3 to take to the roads in autumn 2026.
Full details about the service, including the current tour, accessibility information, and how to book tickets, are available on the Screen Machine’s own website: www.screenmachine.co.uk
You read the full history of the Screen Machine service here: www.screenmachine.co.uk/history
