So. You care about (or are perhaps already creating) the fairer, more sustainable world we all want to be a part of. Maybe the environment is your passion, or people living on the margins of society. You want an end to the refugee crisis, or better playgrounds where you live. But you’re not sure what […]

Sometimes our lives can seem very separate from the issues and challenges we see on screen, either at the cinema or on the news, but Peter Fenton from Torridon shows us how small remote communities can still come together to make a change at any level Living on the West Coast of Scotland, the word […]

At Take One Action our volunteers play a central role in forming our programme, inspiring our events and bringing our festivals to life. They are essential to what we do and grow our tiny team from 3 to over 50 each year! David Smith from Inverness has been volunteering with us for the last few […]

We are thrilled to be listed as one of the best festivals in Scotland by TravelMag, and to sit alongside other great film focused events including the Glasgow Short Film Festival, Dundee Mountain Film Festival and Cromarty Film Festival! Check out the full listing to see what festival events are on offer all across Scotland […]

Document Film Festival returns to Glasgow from the 19-22 October with four days of exceptional international cinema, thought provoking talks and engaging workshops. Now in its 15th year Document is a nexus for marginalised voices and a platform and amplifier  for points of view struggling to find voice. Check out our top picks of the festival […]

Because of climate change, Kenya’s climate is starting to look different. Truphena Ireri, a mother of three, who lives in Mbeere district, eastern Kenya explains:   ‘We’ve learnt that there are a lot of changes in the climate. There isn’t enough rain for us. It was there before; now it is getting hotter and drier […]

The Just Festival starts this month, brining a range of conversations, talks, exhibitions and performances which engage with topical local, national and international questions of social justice, equality and identity, including prejudice against race, ethnicity, class and economic status. Check out our top picks! Head to just-festival.org for the full programme.   100 Years of […]

The Edinburgh International Book Festival returns to the city centre this month from the 12-28 August, bringing around 1000 authors to take part in over 800 events, including novelists, poets, scientists, philosophers, sportsmen, illustrators, comic creators, historians, musicians, biographers, environmentalists, economists, Nobel and Booker prize-winners and many more besides. With so many events to choose […]

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is back for its 71st edition this June, bringing a total of 151 features from 46 countries to Edinburgh audiences including 17 world premieres, 12 international premieres, 9 European premieres and 69 UK premieres. With so many films to choose from here are our top picks from the festival – with a […]

Ten years ago, we started Take One Action in response to a UK-wide mood of post-Iraq disillusionment and political apathy. Voter turnout in some elections had slumped well below 50%. And our film choice was limited. But since then, we’ve travelled with growing optimism alongside the most surprising social movements focussed on more wholehearted ways […]

In September, the Andalus Centre in Glasgow became a Take One Action Local group, supported by the Andalus Climate Challenge Fund, with the aim of bringing environmentally and socially concerned cinema to its community. Here their Project Manager, Kawther Luay reflects on the impact the film group had on the members at Andalus… During the second year […]

The GLITCH Film Festival returns next month, bringing their unique programming focus on work either made by or about Queer/LGBTIQA+ people of colour to Glasgow for 10 days of exceptional international film and art. Opening with the Academy Award Winner Moonlight, the festival promises an exciting, challenging and inspiring programme with all events free to […]

2017 will mark Take One Action’s 10th anniversary. As we contemplate a decade celebrating the people and movies that are changing the world, we look forward to bringing exceptional international cinema to Scottish audiences for another year. We’ll soon be sharing details of our 10th birthday plans (yes, there will be cake). In the meantime, we are […]

The Glasgow Film Festival is back for its 13th year, bringing an exceptional programme of 310 separate events and screenings of films from 38 countries, featuring over 9 World and International Premieres, 65 UK Premieres and 67 Scottish Premieres. Phew! If that feels like quite a lot to go through, here are our top picks from the festival […]

To celebrate the sense of possibility arising from a new year starting, and with thanks to Positive News, below are ten words celebrating wisdom in some of the 7000+ languages of the world. 1. Xibipíío Origin: Pirahã, Amazonian Brazil Meaning: A revelation on the boundaries of perception or experience 2. Ondinnonk Origin: Iroquoian, North America […]

The 2016 Take One Action Film Festival Audience Award winner has been announced as Sonita.  Take One Action audiences have been won over by this moving and inspiring documentary by Iranian filmmaker Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami, which captures an undocumented teenage Afghan refugee’s journey to empowerment and womanhood. Sonita’s determination to find her voice as a […]

In February I had the privilege of visiting south India (Madurai, Chennai and Mumbai) courtesy of Ekta Parishad – an amazing land rights movement, about whom the 2014 festival film Millions Can Walk was made. The purpose of the trip was to deliver workshops for film students, film-makers and activists about “film for social change”. […]