Schikaneder Kino, Independent cinema in Wieden, Austria

Schikaneder Kino is a movie theater in Vienna's Wieden district housed in a historic building on Margaretenstrasse. It combines film screenings with a bar and event space in a single location.

The Schikaneder Kino was founded in 1906 and sound film arrived in 1930. From 1911 to 1919 the licence was held by Adolf Pennersdorfer and Amalie Wellean, making it the first cinema in the whole monarchy co-run by a woman. Georg Höllering, later producer of Brecht's Kuhle Wampe, held the licence from 1919 to 1924; Hugo Klein lost it in 1938 through 'Arisierung'.

The cinema's name recalls Emanuel Schikaneder, who wrote the libretto of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. Today the hall hosts book presentations, performances, theatre and events of various festivals, and the bar has DJ line-ups. In early 2018 the venue was rented to the JVP for one evening, which triggered a shitstorm against the operator family Wegenstein.

The cinema sits on Margaretenstrasse in the 4th district, Wieden, and the entrance is at street level, so it can be reached without steps. The bar serves drinks before and after screenings, and DJ line-ups take place there. Book presentations, performances and festival events share the same rooms as the films, so check what is scheduled for your evening.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the cinema became known for showing American horror films from the 1930s. It was a destination for film enthusiasts who wanted to experience this often overlooked cinema genre.