Filmkunst 66 Berlin

Source: © Filmkunst 66

Filmkunst 66 Berlin

Independent cinema subscription service Cineville is to launch in Germany, one of Europe’s top theatrical markets, on August 15.

A Cineville card offers unlimited access to films, festivals, and special events in participating arthouse cinemas starting at €20 per month.

Cineville Germany will initially launch in five cities: Berlin, Hamburg, Freiburg, Cologne, and Nuremberg. Other German cities will follow in October 2024.

Seven independent cinema operators joined forces as an association to establish subscription service Cineville in Germany at the Berlinale in 2023. The initiative is supported by the German Federal Film Board (FFA) and cinema network Europa Cinemas.

The founding cinemas are: Abaton Hamburg, Zeise Kinos Hamburg, Filmhaus Nuremberg, Casablanca Filmkunsttheater Nuremberg, Odeon Cologne, Off Broadway Cologne, Harmonie, Friedrichsbau, and Kandelhof Freiburg.

Cineville was first launched by arthouse cinema operators in 2009 in Amsterdam. Over 70 cinemas in 40 cities in the Netherlands are now part of the network, and in 2022 Cineville had over 90,000 subscribers in the country.

Cineville Belgium was established in 2022 as the first European offshoot. In Austria, the project started under the name nonstop kino in March 2023 and has a network of 24 cinemas. A Swedish version of Cineville is currently in development.

According to Cineville, 87% of members go to the cinema 1.5 times more often than before and attendance figures have increased for blockbusters, mainstream arthouse films, as well as smaller releases and experimental film art. It says the card primarily appeals to young filmgoers between the ages of 20 and 35 but is also popular among people aged 55 to 70.

A Cineville subscription costs €22 per month for adults up to 25 years old, and €24 per month for those above. A subscription with minimum term of one year costs €20 a month.