First Open Competition organised by the Meteor Film Producing Society held October 1933, becoming Scottish Amateur Film Festival 1934, becoming Scottish International Amateur Film Festival in 1970. The Festival went into abeyance during the Second World War, resumed in 1948 as an annual event, until 1978, with only three festivals 1981, 1983 and 1986 to follow. Festival historians claim that it was the first of its kind to be organised in the world and the first of the three major amateur competitions in Great Britain (citing Institute of Amateur Cinematographers and Amateur Cine World as others). The SAFF was unique for its adjucation system and the appointment of a professional from the film industry as Adjudicator. These have included John Grierson, Alfred Hithcock, Michael Powell, Paul Rotha, Sidney Furie and Alan Parker. The Festivals were organised by the Scottish Association of Amateur Cinematographers from 1949, in association with Scottish Film Council. The public presentation of prizewinning films was made in the Cosmo Cinema in Glasgow.