It’s the time of year when movie nights move outdoors. Fortunately, Berlin has numerous beautiful open-air movie theaters that make this very experience possible. One of them is located at what is arguably one of the city’s most historic sites: From August 3 to 27, 2026, the courtyard of the former Stasi headquarters in Berlin-Lichtenberg will be transformed into a unique open-air movie theater. The Campus-Kino will take place here for four weeks.
For the seventh time, feature films and documentaries dealing with the GDR, the Stasi, opposition and resistance, escape, and the process of coming to terms with the SED dictatorship will be shown here over a four-week period. What makes this event special is not only the program but, above all, the setting. The films are screened on the grounds of the former headquarters of the GDR’s Ministry for State Security—that is, at the very location from which the Stasi was once directed. Here, history is not only told on the screen but also directly encounters its original setting.
A total of twelve film nights are on the program, each beginning at 7:30 p.m. Following August 10, the lineup includes “When We Dreamed” on August 11, “Tunnel of Freedom” on August 13, “Two Lives” on August 17, “The Lindenberg File – Udo and the GDR” on August 18, “Pride and Stubbornness” on August 20, “Hunger for Life” on August 24, and “Whispers and Screams – A Rock Report” on August 25. The festival concludes on August 27 with “Good Bye, Lenin!,” one of the best-known German films about the period surrounding the fall of the Berlin Wall.
August 13 is a particularly historic date. It marks the 65th anniversary of the start of construction of the Berlin Wall. In keeping with this, the documentary “Tunnel of Freedom” will be shown, which focuses on the famous Tunnel 29, through which 29 people managed to escape from the GDR. On August 18, the spotlight will once again be on Udo Lindenberg: The documentary “The Lindenberg File – Udo and the GDR” sheds light on the musician’s special relationship with the GDR and recalls, among other things, his legendary 1983 performance at the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin.
But the Campus Cinema is far more than a traditional open-air cinema. At the start of each evening, organizations on campus present their work, and following the films, discussions take place with filmmakers, experts, and eyewitnesses . Depending on the event, guided tours and exhibitions also complement the program. This allows visitors not only to follow the historical events on the big screen but also to engage more deeply with them right at the authentic site.
The best part:Admission to all film nights is free, and no registration is required. However, since seating is limited and cannot be reserved, it’s a good idea to arrive a little early. If you’d like, you can even bring your own seating.
The Campus Cinema is located on the grounds of the “Stasi Headquarters: Campus for Democracy” at Ruschestraße 103 in Berlin-Lichtenberg. The Magdalenenstraße station on the U5 subway line is only about 300 meters away, making the open-air cinema easily accessible by public transportation.
