Le Stockel

Le Stockel (also known as Cinéma Le Stockel) is an independent neighbourhood cinema located at 17, avenue de Hinnisdael in the Stockel district of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It opened in 1956 and is described as the last neighbourhood cinema still operating in the Belgian capital. The cinema sits close to Place Dumont and the Stockel metro station on line 1, making it a local landmark within the commune. The cinema's programming is varied, combining recent films, screenings for young audiences, and both original-version-with-subtitles and French-version showings. It operates with a digital projector and screens exclusively in 2D. Ticket prices remained stable until 2022, when the cinema announced a €1 increase (bringing the ticket to €8) in response to rising energy costs. After two closures in the 1980s, Le Stockel was taken over by new operators and maintained as a local venue. In 2019 it underwent a complete renovation: seats were replaced, new lighting was installed, and the floor was refreshed, all while preserving its retro style. The old seats were put up for sale to the public during the renovation. Le Stockel is regularly cited among the best independent cinemas in Brussels for its friendly atmosphere and its cultural role in local life. The cinema is operated under the umbrella of Shadow Projection / Lights in the city, which also runs the Ciné Centre de Rixensart and L'Etoile in Jodoigne. Its official web presence is hosted at lightsinthecity.be.

Le Stockel opened its doors in 1956 in the Stockel district of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, a commune in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It was established as a neighbourhood cinema serving the local community. Over the following decades, like many small cinemas in Europe, it faced pressure from changing film distribution and audience habits. In the 1980s the cinema closed twice, but it was subsequently taken over by new operators and maintained as a local venue rather than being converted or demolished. By the 2010s, Le Stockel had become notable as the last neighbourhood cinema still operating in Brussels. In 2019, the cinema underwent a complete renovation. The work included replacing the seats, installing new lighting, and refreshing the floor, while deliberately preserving the venue's retro style. As part of the renovation, the old seats were put up for sale to the public. Ticket prices remained stable until 2022. In that year, citing rising energy costs, the cinema announced a €1 increase, bringing the ticket price to €8. The cinema continued to operate with a digital projector and exclusively in 2D, offering a varied programme of recent films, young audience screenings, and both original-version-with-subtitles and French-version showings. It is regularly cited among the best independent cinemas in Brussels for its convivial atmosphere and cultural role in local life. The cinema is operated under the umbrella of Shadow Projection / Lights in the city, which also runs the Ciné Centre de Rixensart and L'Etoile in Jodoigne. Its official web presence is hosted at lightsinthecity.be.

• 2022

  Ticket price increased by €1 to €8 due to rising energy costs.

• 2019

  Complete renovation: seats replaced, new lighting installed, floor refreshed, retro style preserved; old seats sold to the public.

• 1980

  The cinema closes twice during the 1980s before being taken over by new operators.

• 1956

  Le Stockel opens its doors as a neighbourhood cinema in Stockel, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.

Independent neighbourhood cinema with a friendly atmosphere and a cultural role in local Brussels life; the last remaining neighbourhood cinema in the Belgian capital.

• Recent film screenings

• Young audience screenings

• Original version with subtitles screenings

• French version screenings

1. 1Ciné Centre de Rixensart / L'Etoile de Jodoigne / Le Stockel Cinémalightsinthecity.be
2. 2Le Stockelwikidata.org
3. 3Cinéma Le Stockelfr.wikipedia.org