Berlin’s cinemas are back! From the glitzy and shiny to grungy and punky, we’ve compiled a list showcasing the top arthouse and independent venues for international cinephiles and OV fans across the city.
It’s more important than ever to celebrate and support Berlin’s indie kinos, which are still navigating the long-term repercussions of the coronavirus crisis. Despite reopening, our city’s cinemas are still facing an unprecedented challenge, operating at a heavily reduced capacity with limited seating and additional hygiene measures. All cinemas have implemented strict social distancing rules, so you’ll need to wear a mask (except when sitting inside the cinema), keep your distance from other moviegoers and book your tickets online.
Here’s our rundown of the best of Berlin’s newly reopened OV cinemas, including everything you need to know before your visit. So whether you’re a fan of international cinema or a monolingual, native English-speaking expat, there will be something for you.
Il Kino (Nansenstraße 22, Kreuzberg)
Screens: One
Seats available: 19 (40 percent)
Online booking: https://ilkino.de/movie-program
Our tips: For Sama will screen with English subtitles. All films are OV, all with English subtitles. There are ten tables open outside for food and drink.
Arsenal Kino (Potsdamer Straße 2, Mitte)
Screens: One
Seats available: 71 (30.6 percent)
Online booking: https://www.arsenal-berlin.de/kino-arsenal/kino-info.html
Our tips: Tarkovsky’s sci-fi classic Stalker will screen in late July and August. Films are OV if possible, but it’s not guaranteed. This month, almost everything is in English.
FSK (Potsdamer Straße 2, Mitte)
Screens: Two
Seats available: 30 seats (Screen 1, 33 percent); 19 seats (Screen 2, 33 percent)
Online booking: https://kinotickets.online/arsenal-berlin/movies
Our tips: Director Carolina Hellsgård and editor Ruth Schönegge will show up for a talk at 8pm on July 5. Director Christian Petzold will be there on July 9. In terms of film, local production Undine will screen with English subtitles.
Rollberg (Rollbergstraße 70, Neukölln)
Screens: Five
Seats available: 45, 34, 27, 20, 14 per theatre (30 percent)
Online booking: https://yorck.de/kinos/rollberg
Our tips: Special summer screenings of The Shining. Everything is shown in OV this month, in English, half of which are shown with German subtitles.
City Kino Wedding (Müllerstraße 74, Wedding)
Screens: One
Seats available: 50 (23 percent)
Online booking: http://citykinowedding.de/programm/
Our tips: Crisis Kino Series will screen 28 Days Later, The Dead Won’t Die and Zombieland in English. Queen & Slim and Call Me By Your Name will also be shown in English OV.
Hackesche Höfe Kino Rosenthaler Straße 40-41, Mitte)
Screens: Three of five (the remaining screens are under renovation)
Seats available: 20 percent
Our tips: https://www.hoefekino.de/programm-tickets/
Our tips: The mind-bending new film Siberia starring Willem Dafoe. All films are in OV with German subtitles.
Photo: Caterina Gili
Lichtblick (Kastanienallee 77, Prenzlauer Berg)
Screens: One
Seats available: 10 (30 percent)
Online booking: https://www.kinoheld.de/Kino-Berlin/Lichtblick%20Kino%20Berlin/shows/movies
Our tips: Lichtblick will celebrating Roland Klick’s 81st birthday by showing Supermarket and Deadlock, both in OV with English subtitles. All films are OV. German films mainly with English subtitles. No English OV films soon.
Delphi Lux (Kantstraße 10, Charlottenburg)
Screens: Seven
Seats available: 25 – 30 percent (every group is separated by two empty seats)
Online booking: https://yorck.de/kinos/delphi-lux
Our tips: Time to finally catch Jojo Rabbit, one of last year’s most talked-about films. Movies at Delphi Lux are usually shown in OV with mostly German subtitles.
