Berlin is the capital of cinema! Thanks to the Berlinale and its rich variety of arthouse theaters, it’s undoubtedly a paradise for film lovers. Join us in discovering the capital’s most iconic and unusual movie theaters. You can find open-air and summer movie theaters here.
Kino International
The Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee is one of Berlin’s most extraordinary movie theaters: As an iconic architectural gem and the former official premiere theater of the GDR, it has shaped the city’s film and cultural history since 1963. Following an 18-month renovation carried out in accordance with historic preservation guidelines, it will reopen in February 2026 and, together with the returning Café Moskau and the legendary Mokka-Milch-Eisbar, will form a unique ensemble and a new cultural hotspot in Berlin.
Filmrauschpalast
The Filmrauschpalast is one of Berlin’s most unconventional movie theaters. It feels like a tiny, self-run living-room theater with just a few seats and operates far removed from any commercial logic, with a strong DIY character. It screens experimental films, obscure classics, trash, arthouse, and lovingly curated special series. The atmosphere is deliberately alternative— more of an art and subculture venue than a traditional movie theater—with ever-changing, often surprising programs.
Berlin wouldn’t be the city of cinema it is today if the oldest movie theater in Berlin—and indeed in all of Germany —hadn’t opened here! As early as 1907, the Lichtspieltheater on Zickenplatz opened its doors, and we can still visit it today in Kreuzberg—albeit under a different name. Every year, over 15 film festivals are held here, ranging from children’s programs to the PornFilmFestival.
Arsenal
A cinema of a special kind has been waiting for you since May 3, 2026, at the silent green Kulturquartier in Wedding. After bidding farewell to Potsdamer Platz, the historic Arsenal Cinema has found a new home in the heritage-protected Westhalle of a former crematorium. The modern auditorium seats 169 and presents a diverse program of experimental films, international film classics, and carefully curated retrospectives. With its extraordinary architecture and sophisticated film program, the Arsenal is one of the most exciting destinations for film fans in Berlin.
Babylon in Mitte
Openedin 1929, the Babylon is not only one of the city’s oldest but also one of its best-known movie theaters—in part thanks to the TV series of the same name. To this day, it remains true to its origins as a silent-film theater, accompanied by orchestral music and its own in-house organist. Every Saturday, there are also free screenings at the witching hour!
Anarchy with a Ray of Hope
In a formerly squatted apartment building in Prenzlauer Berg, you’ll find this mini-cinema run as a nonprofit association. It presents an ambitious program featuring old and new arthouse films, retrospectives, feature films, and special events. Particularly popular is the weekly midnight screening of *Casablanca*, which has achieved local cult status!
Zoo Palast
Following renovations in 2013, this Berlinale venue (formerly the festival’s headquarters until 1999) reopened next to the Zoo. With seven screens and a total of 1,616 seats—nearly 800 of which are in Berlin’s largest single auditorium —it is officially a multiplex and thus almost a bit mainstream… but let’s not forget its history: Among other films, the silent film classic “Metropolis” premiered here in 1927.
