Kino International, Cinema theater in Karl-Marx-Allee, Berlin, Germany
Kino International is a cinema theater on Karl-Marx-Allee in Berlin-Mitte with a distinctive three-story reinforced concrete structure, light sandstone facades, and a nine-meter-high ground floor that stands without interior support columns. The main hall seats 555 people, and a panorama bar allows visitors to view the street through large windows before screenings.
The cinema opened on November 15, 1963, as the primary premiere venue for East German films and remained operational through German reunification. It survived political transitions and maintained its role in the city's film culture.
Hand-painted film posters cover the window displays as artworks, and the theater programs European and independent films often shown in their original languages. This approach reflects a commitment to cinema that looks beyond mainstream commercial offerings.
Showtimes and access vary according to the film schedule, so checking the current program before your visit is helpful. The location on a major boulevard with good transit connections makes it easy to reach, and the panorama bar offers a comfortable space to spend time before screenings.
On November 20, 1989, just days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the theater screened "Coming Out," the first East German feature film to address homosexuality as a central theme. This premiere marked a symbolic moment of newly found freedom during a time of rapid change.
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