Berlin 03-05-2010
Luis Buñuel - whose birthday is celebrated each year at LICHTBLIK KINO
[photo from Wikipedia]
The ‘Lichtblick Kino’ at Kastanienallee 77, in Berlin Mitte/Prenzlauer could well be one of the smallest active movie-theatres in the world.
With its 32 seats and ‘gemütliche’ chairs it could very well be.
Prices are 5 Euro per person with many types of discounts for students, seniors and those on any type of welfare or social assistance.
The movie theatre started in 1994/95 by showing a pot-pouri of avant-garde European film, comics-film art, documentaries often political in nature and ‘Kiezkino’.
‘Kiez’ is a German for a neighbourhood, a district of within a larger city – it is typically Berlin slang. ‘Kino’ means cinema or movie theatre.
With a constant fare of Buñuel, Antonioni and Fellini films, plus other documentaries about social resistance, revolution and anti-fascism the Lichtblick Kino should not be considered your average Movie Theatre!
After various attempts by various planners and land-lords to close the original location down the inhabitants of the building in which it finds itself finally decided to take matters into their own hands to open their own small cinema.
In April 1999 Lichtblick Kino was voted by the readers of the ‘what’s on in Berlin’ magazine ‘ZITTY’ to the best programmed cinema of the city.
Most popular director is Luis Buñuel who is celebrated each annually on his birthday the 22nd of February, with a film gala and/or Buñuel retrospective.
In spite of its small size the Lichtblick Kino is member of the AG cinema, a German based union of above all special program cinemas.
The washroom is outside the theatre [!]. One most exit the front door and turn immediately left twice to enter the back hof or court-yard to find the WC!
Also sometimes films are not available and the film crew showing the film will ask for a showing of hands to see which of the available films on hand the viewers would like to see instead!
Well worth a visit – it’s a gem and they have many mid-night viewings.
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From the OTA-Berlin Serviced Apartments Buildings about 5 min by foot. Please ask at OTA-Berlin office for directions.
Location- Kastanienallee 77, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, tel. 44 05 81 79
http://www.lichtblick-kino.org/lichtblick.php
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OTA-Berlin Constituency Blog’ is part of OTA-Berlin – the economical and thrifty ‘Apartment-Alternative to Hotels’ in Berlin.
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