Filmhouse Junior: screenings for a younger audience. Today’s film is Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (U) (in English and Japanese with English subtitles). Parker (Richard Gere), a university professor, finds a lost puppy at a train station and takes it home, much to the annoyance of his wife, who had banned him from having another dog. However, Parker and the dog develop such a remarkable bond that Cate is forced to relent, and Hachi becomes a devoted member of the family and the local community. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small, and may be purchased from the Filmhouse box office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online here.
Wellbeing Mela: a fun family afternoon to celebrate diversity and promote positive mental wellbeing among Edinburgh’s varied minority ethnic communities. Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘gathering’ and is traditionally a time to come together with friends and family to watch, and participate in, artistic performances and creative workshops. The afternoon will offer music, dance, complementary therapies, relaxation workshops, and activities for children. 1-4pm, Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free. Delivered in partnership with CAPS and MECOPP, this event forms part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival.
Portrait Detectives! Collect your kit, follow clues and solve a mystery from history! For ages 4-12. 2-4pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. No booking required: free, unticketed. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Pet Blessing Service: in association with the Skye Terrier Club, Greyfriars Kirk invites you to bring your pets to this special service, which will be followed by an informal pet parade and refreshments. 3pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. All welcome.
Amazing Autumn Jewellery: take inspiration from the amazing autumn colours and textures at Lauriston and make unique jewellery – badges, bracelets, brooches and pendants. With Mike Durnan. 10.30am-12.30pm, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. Tickets cost £4 per person and must be booked in advance via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these sessions are intended for families working together: at least one paying adult must accompany your child, and no child should be booked into a session alone.
Edimpro: a concert by Edinburgh’s free improvisation collective. 8pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
Balerno Music Festival: the eighth Balerno Music Festival ends today, with a Festival Praise service in the morning and a Jazz Party with the Roger Cull Quartet and Ian Ewing, one of Scotland’s foremost big band and swing singers, tonight. All tickets may be purchased from Balerno Parish Church Office (9am-12 noon, Monday to Friday), Balerno Farmers’ Market, or by post or online; for full booking information click here.
SMHAFF 2015: Spirtuality. Passion for wholeness is the theme of this year’s mental health Sunday service. In this hour of music, silence, images, prayer and reflection, people will be sharing stories of how their passions have helped them to become more whole. Led by Rev Fiona Bennett. 11am-12.30pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. All welcome; for more information please contact maxwell.reay@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk.
Filmhouse & Heriot-Watt University Special Event: The Tribe (18). Few films this year have split opinion more than The Tribe. Winner of the 2014 International Critics’ Week Grand Prize at Cannes, it has been described as “unmistakably, radically new” (Justin Chang, Variety) and yet, in parts, “almost unwatchable” (Mark Kermode, The Observer). Whatever director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy was trying to do, this brutal debut feature, told entirely through unsubtitled Ukrainian Sign Language, certainly provoked reactions. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion, delivered in spoken English and British Sign Language, with EJ Raymond (actor, writer and founder of Turtléar), Andy Carmichael (sign language interpreter and TV producer), Nicholas Padden-Duncan (freelance sign language professional and director of Kumquat & Co.) and Professor Ursula Böser (Department of Languages & Intercultural Studies, Heriot-Watt University). 2pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Filmhouse box office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online here; prices vary.This event is supported by the Centre for Translation & Interpreting Studies in Scotland (CTISS) and the Intercultural Research Centre at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Please note: this film contains strong sex, nudity, violence and an abortion scene.
Edinburgh World Justice Festival continues this week. Today: Gaza Unsilenced – Leila el-Haddad, co-editor of Gaza Unsilenced, will tell stories, explain the politics and share her personal experience as described in this new anthology about Gaza during and since last summer’s Israeli assault. Leila is also the co-author of The Gaza Kitchen, a very popular cookbook at Hadeel Palestinian Fair Trade Shop. Leila will also sign copies of her books, and Hadeel shop will be open during and after the event. Hadeel Shop, 123 George Street. Organised by Palcrafts and Hadeel; for more information please contact Carol Morton on 0131 2251922 or email Palcrafts@phonecoop.coop.
Filmhouse Quiz: the ‘phenomenally successful (and rather tricky) monthly quiz’, for teams of up to eight. Please be seated in the Cafe Bar by 9pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Free to enter.
Roots Acoustic Showcase: singer/songwriter Toby Mottershead (who powers the mighty Black Diamond Express train) brings in a monthly showcase of excellent rootsy/bluesy acoustic/electric bands and soloists. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is cash only.
St Giles’ at Six: The Chalmers Ensemble. The horn and string quartet plays Howard Ferguson Octet and Beethoven Septet. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.
