They offer special screenings, as well as retrospectives, student films and experimental movies from many differ­ent countries in their original versions. The “Filmkunsthaus Babylon Mitte” focuses on movie culture outside blockbuster and mainstream cinema. Here you can also find retro­spectives.
Independent theaters, such as “Delphi” and “Broadway” in Charlottenburg, Kreuzberg’s “Yorck/New Yorck” or the “International” in Mitte have formed a consortium of some 25 cinemas (www.yorck.de). The “Odeon” in Schöneberg, the “Babylon” in Kreuzberg and “fsk” on Oranienplatz often show subtitled original versions of contemporary films and are members of this group, as well.

On special cinema days (Kinotagen), the tickets are cheaper. Every theater has its own cinema days, though most theaters have chosen Tuesday or Wednesday. In addition, some smaller independent cinemas try to attract customers with their “Blue Monday” offer: On Mondays you can get a ticket for only 4 Euros.

In 1951, Berlin’s annual film festival – better known as Berlinale –  took place for the first time. Next to Cannes and Venice, Berlin’s February event is one of the most important film festivals worldwide. When the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2000, Potsdamer Platz was made the Berlinale’s central stage. In addition to the films that compete for the Golden Bear trophy (Goldener Bär), movies promoted by the “Internationales Forum des jungen Films” (International Forum For Young Cinema) have been shown there since 1971. Thus, North Korean documentaries or German low-budget productions have the chance to be presented to an international audience.

UCI Kinowelt Zoo Palast, Charlottenburg	Cinemaxx, Hohenschönhausen	CineStar im Sony Center, Tiergarten