Bali Kino

Bali Kino is a single-screen cinema located in Alzey, a town in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. It was built in 1953 near Alzey railway station and opened in 1954 as the Bahnhofslichtspiele (railway station cinema). It is one of only four remaining railway station cinemas in Germany, alongside those in Berlin, Bochum, and Kassel. Unlike many station cinemas in large cities, Bali Kino is situated in a small town, which historically gave it a distinct programming profile. By 2011, the cinema was struggling, with only around 4,000 visitors that year. In October 2012, it was announced that the last remaining cinema in Alzey would close, which would have left a 30-kilometer radius without any cinema. Claus Hadenfeldt, a native of northern Germany, took over the cinema and invested a six-figure sum in modern 3D image technology (HFR-3D), Dolby 7.1 surround sound, a new floor, and new seating. The cinema reopened on 12 December 2012 at 12:12 PM with a screening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. It has one screen and 196 seats. Under Hadenfeldt's ownership, the cinema saw a resurgence: nearly 25,000 visitors in 2014, and by the end of October 2015, more than 60,000 visitors had seen over 200 different films. In its third year, 32,000 viewers attended. In December 2015, a new LED sign replaced the old fluorescent "Bali Kino" sign on the facade. The cinema also hosts events such as "Kaffee - Kuchen - Kino" (coffee, cake, cinema), puppet theater, and school screenings. It has been recognized in Moviepilot's poll of Germany's most popular cinemas, ranking in the top 100 in 2017, 2018, and 2019. In September 2020, the cinema received over 12,000 euros from the Rhineland-Palatinate program "Programmkinos stärken" and over 4,000 euros from the federal "Zukunftsprogramm Kino" to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The cinema remains a cultural landmark in Alzey.

The Bali Kino in Alzey was built in 1953 near Alzey railway station and opened in 1954 as the Bahnhofslichtspiele. It is one of the last four remaining railway station cinemas in Germany, the others being in Berlin, Bochum, and Kassel. Unlike station cinemas in large cities like Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, or Cologne, which often showed films not available elsewhere due to the anonymity of the big city, the Alzey cinema, located in a small town, had a distinctly different programming profile. By 2011, the cinema was struggling, with only around 4,000 visitors that year. In October 2012, it was announced that the last remaining cinema in Alzey would close, which would have left a 30-kilometer radius without any cinema, as the nearest ones are in Bad Kreuznach, Mainz, and Worms. Claus Hadenfeldt, a native of northern Germany, took over the cinema. After purchasing the traditional cinema in autumn 2012, the new owner Claus Hinrich Hadenfeldt (1954–2025) invested a six-figure sum in modern image technology with 3D (HFR-3D format) and sound technology (Dolby 7.1 surround sound), as well as a new floor and new seating. In addition to the digital projector, an old 35mm film projector remains in the projection room. After renovation, the cinema reopened on 12 December 2012 at 12:12 PM. The first film shown was The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. In 2014, nearly 25,000 film enthusiasts visited the Bali Kino. By the end of October 2015, more than 60,000 visitors had seen over 200 different films. In its third year, 32,000 viewers attended the cinema, which consists of a single hall with 202 seats. Since the fluorescent tube sign "Bali Kino" could no longer be technically produced, an LED sign has illuminated the facade since December 2015. For the third anniversary on 13 December 2015, there was an open day and a free screening of a previously shown film, chosen by an online poll; the 3D version of The Great Gatsby was shown. In September 2020, Culture Minister Konrad Wolf presented a grant of over 12,000 euros from the "Programmkinos stärken" funding line, which the state of Rhineland-Palatinate had set up to support program cinemas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including co-financing from the federal "Zukunftsprogramm Kino" of over 4,000 euros. The cinema has also been active in events: even before the founding of SchulKinoWoche Rheinland-Pfalz in 2003, films were shown for surrounding schools, such as Schindler's List in 1994. The event series "Kaffee - Kuchen - Kino" allows viewers to enjoy free coffee and cake while watching a film. Puppet theater regularly takes place in the cinema hall. On non-screening days, the hall can be rented for events. Notably, at the end of 2013/beginning of 2014, Gertrud Sonnenburg, at 83 years old and with 54 years of service, was probably the oldest cinema ticket seller in Germany. In 2015, Alzey-born arte culture editor Oliver Schwehm shot the documentary Cinema perverso – die kaputte Welt des Bahnhofskinos, among other places in the Alzey Bali Kino. The documentary was shown in the cinema before its broadcast on arte, and Mrs. Sonnenburg was interviewed. In the Moviepilot poll for Germany's most popular cinema, Bali reached a place in the top 100 in 2017 and 2018. Also in 2019, Bali Kino, out of over 1,600 participating cinemas, reached a place in the top 100. At the presentation of a funding decision in September 2020, Culture Minister Wolf mentioned that the cinema would receive a "Kinoprogrammpreis des Landes Rheinland-Pfalz" (Cinema Program Award of Rhineland-Palatinate).

• 2020

  Received COVID-19 support funding from state and federal programs

• 2019

  Ranked in top 100 out of over 1,600 cinemas

• 2018

  Again ranked in top 100

• 2017

  Ranked in top 100 of Moviepilot's most popular cinemas in Germany

• 2015

  New LED sign installed; third anniversary open day

• 2014

  Nearly 25,000 visitors

• 2012

  Claus Hadenfeldt takes over; cinema reopens on 12 December after renovation

• 2011

  Only around 4,000 visitors

• 1994

  Screening of Schindler's List for local schools

• 1954

  Opened as Bahnhofslichtspiele

• 1953

  Cinema built near Alzey railway station

A historic single-screen cinema in a small town, one of the last railway station cinemas in Germany, known for its community events and resilience.

• Film screenings

  Single-screen cinema showing a variety of films, including 3D and HFR-3D formats.

• Event rentals

  The cinema hall can be rented for events on non-screening days.

• Puppet theater

  Regular puppet theater performances take place in the cinema hall.

• Kaffee - Kuchen - Kino

  Event series where viewers watch a film and enjoy free coffee and cake.

• Kaffee - Kuchen - Kino
• SchulKinoWoche Rheinland-Pfalz

1. 1Bali Kino (Alzey) - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bali Kino - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Bali Kino official websitebalikino.de