In this age of streaming, going to the cinema can feel almost nostalgic. But what if it’s not just a big screen, but a meeting place for shared experiences and exchange too? Harald Siebler sees his recently opened Kino & Bar in der Königstadt as precisely such a place. The focus at this Berlinale partner cinema is not nonstop box office hits, but instead carefully-selected films which can later be unpicked over a drink in the adjoining bar. “Classics, new releases, and little-known movies,” Siebler says of the program. “We want to show good films that arouse curiosity,” he says. This focus on quality is also evident in the interior: instead of tightly-packed narrow seats, Siebler’s cinema has spacious velvet chairs with plenty of legroom. And not only is this a pretty auditorium, but it is also unconventional: in contrast to regular cinemas, at Königstadt natural materials such as hemp, pressed paper and Swiss stone pine are used throughout the building. Time to put your next Netflix night on hold. (Text: Lisa Staub / Photos: Savannah van der Niet)
Kino & Bar in der Königstadt
Straßburger Str.55, 10405 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
You can find the program here.
