Cinemas Lumière und Méliès

LUMIÈRE und MÉLIÈS are two arthouse cinemas (Programmkinos) in Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany, operated by the non-profit association Film- und Kinoinitiative Göttingen e.V. (FKI). The association was founded in 1980 with around 80 members and the goal of establishing a municipal cinema in Göttingen. After years of searching for suitable premises, the LUMIÈRE cinema opened in 1986 at Geismar Landstraße 19, named after the Lumière brothers. It has a single auditorium and shows artistically outstanding feature and documentary films that address socially relevant themes, alongside audience discussions, original-language screenings, children's cinema, short films and silent films with live music. The venue also hosts theatre and children's events and a summer open-air cinema. In 2020 the association added a second venue, the MÉLIÈS, named after Georges Méliès. After ten years of planning and a lengthy conversion of a previously unused church building, it opened on 3 September 2020 in a former Baptist church on the Göttingen city wall at Bürgerstraße 13. The historic half-timbered construction was preserved, giving the cinema a distinctive atmosphere. The auditorium has 106 seats, 33 of them on a gallery, and the same building houses a bistro operated by the cinema itself, Bistro LUNA im Kino Méliès. Both cinemas serve not only as film venues but also as event spaces for lectures, exhibitions, theatre performances and discussions with filmmakers. Under the motto "Andere Filme anders zeigen" (showing other films differently), they cooperate with institutions such as the aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (Ärzte ohne Grenzen) and the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. They are the main venues of the annually held European Film Festival Göttingen, which the FKI has organised since 1980, as well as of a children's film festival and a silent film festival. Highlights of the year include the Silent Film Festival, the Children's Film Festival and the European Film Festival Göttingen with the Göttingen Short Film Festival. The cinemas are supported by the City of Göttingen, the State of Lower Saxony, nordmedia and other partners, and belong to the Europa Cinemas network. The FKI has received numerous awards for both cinemas: since 1992 it has regularly received the Lower Saxony Cinema Programme Prize (Niedersächsischer Kinoprogrammpreis), and at federal level the LUMIÈRE received the 1st prize of the Deutsche Kinemathek in Berlin in 2014 for "local communal and social engagement". The cinemas are located in Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany.

The history of the LUMIÈRE cinema is closely tied to the Film- und Kinoinitiative Göttingen e.V. (FKI), founded in 1980 with around 80 members and the aim of establishing a municipal cinema in Göttingen. After years of searching for suitable premises, the cinema finally opened in 1986. Named after the Lumière brothers, it has a single auditorium and is located at Geismar Landstraße 19. Among its known staff were the sociologist and philosopher Elisabeth Quast and the film director and critic Dieter Geißler. The FKI has also been the organiser of the European Film Festival Göttingen since 1980, an annual festival that takes place mainly in the LUMIÈRE and MÉLIÈS cinemas and includes country focuses and several fixed sections, among them competitions and young-talent formats. After ten years of planning and a lengthy conversion phase of a previously unused church building, the MÉLIÈS opened on 3 September 2020 as the second venue. Named after Georges Méliès, it is located in a former Baptist church on the Göttingen city wall at Bürgerstraße 13. The historic half-timbered construction was preserved during the redesign, giving the cinema a special ambience. The auditorium has 106 seats, 33 of them on a gallery, and the same building also houses a bistro operated by the cinema itself. Both cinemas serve not only for film screenings but also as venues for lectures, exhibitions, theatre performances and discussions with filmmakers. Under the motto "Andere Filme anders zeigen", they cooperate with institutions such as the aid organisation Ärzte ohne Grenzen and the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. They are the main venues for the annually held European Film Festival as well as for a children's film festival and a silent film festival. The FKI has been repeatedly awarded for both cinemas. Since 1992 the association has regularly received the Niedersächsischer Kinoprogrammpreis (Lower Saxony Cinema Programme Prize). At federal level, the LUMIÈRE received the 1st prize of the Deutsche Kinemathek in Berlin in 2014 for "Kommunales und soziales Engagement vor Ort" (local communal and social engagement). The cinemas are supported by the City of Göttingen, the State of Lower Saxony, nordmedia and other partners, and belong to the Europa Cinemas network.

• 2020

  MÉLIÈS cinema opens on 3 September 2020 as the second venue, in a converted former Baptist church at Bürgerstraße 13, with 106 seats (33 on a gallery) and an in-house bistro.

• 2014

  The LUMIÈRE receives the 1st prize of the Deutsche Kinemathek in Berlin for "Kommunales und soziales Engagement vor Ort" (local communal and social engagement).

• 1992

  The FKI begins regularly receiving the Niedersächsischer Kinoprogrammpreis (Lower Saxony Cinema Programme Prize).

• 1986

  LUMIÈRE cinema opens at Geismar Landstraße 19 in Göttingen after years of searching for suitable premises.

• 1980

  Film- und Kinoinitiative Göttingen e.V. (FKI) founded with around 80 members, aiming to establish a municipal cinema in Göttingen; also becomes organiser of the European Film Festival Göttingen.

Non-profit arthouse cinemas offering high-quality, award-winning programming away from the mainstream, under the motto "Andere Filme anders zeigen".

• LUMIÈRE cinema

  Single-auditorium arthouse cinema at Geismar Landstraße 19, Göttingen, opened 1986; shows artistically outstanding feature and documentary films, original-language screenings, children's cinema, short films and silent films with live music.

• MÉLIÈS cinema

  Second venue opened 3 September 2020 in a former Baptist church at Bürgerstraße 13, Göttingen; 106 seats (33 on a gallery), historic half-timbered construction, used for current arthouse films, special events and film series.

• Bistro LUNA im Kino Méliès

  In-house bistro in the MÉLIÈS building offering food and drink.

• European Film Festival Göttingen

  Annual festival organised by the FKI since 1980, held mainly in the LUMIÈRE and MÉLIÈS cinemas, with country focuses, competitions and young-talent sections.

• Silent Film Festival

  Annual highlight of the LUMIÈRE and MÉLIÈS programme.

• Children's Film Festival

  Annual highlight of the LUMIÈRE and MÉLIÈS programme.

1. 1Startseite 2026 - LUMIÈRE und MÉLIÈSlumiere-melies.de
2. 2Über uns - LUMIÈRE und MÉLIÈSlumiere-melies.de
3. 3Cinemas Lumière und Méliès - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Kinos Lumière und Méliès - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org