Neue Filmbühne Beuel

Neue Filmbühne Beuel is a programmkino (arthouse cinema) in the Beuel district of Bonn, Germany. It is among the oldest cinemas in the city and has been repeatedly recognized for its film programming. The cinema is closely linked with the Rex-Lichtspieltheater in Endenich; both are operated by Rex-Lichtspiel GmbH and share a joint website and program. The Neue Filmbühne is located at Friedrich-Breuer-Str. 68-70 in 53225 Bonn-Beuel, while the Rex-Lichtspieltheater is at Frongasse 9 in 53121 Bonn. The origins of the cinema reach back to the late years of the Weimar Republic, when Heinrich Wenigmann, son of a Beuel innkeeper, occasionally showed films in the multi-purpose hall of his parents' establishment. In 1933 he opened the "Deutsche Filmbühne" at the same location. The first film shown was the Nazi propaganda film Blutendes Deutschland, which according to Wenigmann met with little approval, while comedies with Heinz Rühmann were great successes. In the 1950s the Filmbühne had around 280 seats, but had to withstand a strong decline in visitors in the 1960s and 1970s. While the family's second cinema, the Odeon on Hans-Böckler-Straße, was closed, the Filmbühne survived this phase. In 1986 Heinrich and Maria Wenigmann gave up the business for health reasons. A possible conversion into a fast-food outlet or a sex cinema was averted when the operator couple handed the cinema over to those responsible for the Rex-Lichtspieltheater in Endenich. On 4 September 1986 the reopening took place under the new management of Dieter Hertel and Gila Brenig. The premiere showed the concert film Home of the Brave by Laurie Anderson. The Neue Filmbühne is a member of the Europa Cinemas network. The program includes arthouse films, auteur cinema, European productions and documentaries. In 2003 around 50,000 spectators visited the cinema annually. The Neue Filmbühne cooperates with the Rex-Lichtspieltheater in Endenich. The cinema is considered a cultural meeting point in Beuel and draws audiences from a radius of up to 50 kilometers. It has received numerous programming and cultural awards at state, federal and European level, including the Kinoprogrammpreis several times. In 2025 the cinema was honored with a premium from the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. The cinema has one auditorium with 186 velvet-red cinema seats. Original elements that have survived include the toilet doors and the glass of the entrance door, which survived the Second World War. In 2012 the switch was made from analog projection to a digital playback system. Today the Neue Filmbühne continues to operate as an arthouse cinema, showing a curated program of European and international films, often in original language with subtitles, and offering online ticket sales through its shared website with the Rex-Lichtspieltheater.

The origins of the Neue Filmbühne reach back to the late years of the Weimar Republic. Heinrich Wenigmann, son of a Beuel innkeeper, occasionally organized film screenings in the multi-purpose hall of his parents' establishment. Due to the success, he opened the "Deutsche Filmbühne" at the same location in 1933. The first film shown was the Nazi propaganda film Blutendes Deutschland. According to Wenigmann, however, this met with little approval, while comedies with Heinz Rühmann celebrated great successes. In the 1950s the Filmbühne had around 280 seats, but in the 1960s and 1970s it had to cope with a strong decline in visitors. While the family's second cinema, the Odeon on Hans-Böckler-Straße, was closed, the Filmbühne survived this phase. In 1986 Heinrich and Maria Wenigmann gave up the business for health reasons. A possible conversion into a fast-food outlet or a sex cinema was averted when the operator couple handed the cinema over to those responsible for the Rex-Lichtspieltheater in Endenich. On 4 September 1986 the reopening took place under the new management of Dieter Hertel and Gila Brenig. The premiere showed the concert film Home of the Brave by Laurie Anderson. The Neue Filmbühne is a member of the Filmtheater-Netzwerk Europa Cinemas. Its program includes arthouse films, auteur cinema, European productions and documentaries. In 2003 around 50,000 spectators visited the cinema annually. The Neue Filmbühne cooperates with the Rex-Lichtspieltheater in Endenich. The cinema is considered a cultural meeting point in Beuel and draws audiences from a radius of up to 50 kilometers. It has received numerous programming and cultural awards at state, federal and European level, including the Kinoprogrammpreis several times. In 2025 the cinema was honored with a premium from the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. The cinema has one auditorium with 186 velvet-red cinema seats. Original elements that have survived include the toilet doors and the glass of the entrance door, which survived the Second World War. In 2012 the switch was made from analog projection to a digital playback system. Today the Neue Filmbühne continues to operate as an arthouse cinema, showing a curated program of European and international films, often in original language with subtitles, and offering online ticket sales through its shared website with the Rex-Lichtspieltheater.

• 2025

  The cinema is honored with a premium from the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.

• 2012

  Switch from analog projection to a digital playback system.

• 2003

  Around 50,000 spectators visit the cinema annually.

• 1986

  Heinrich and Maria Wenigmann give up the business; on 4 September the cinema reopens as Neue Filmbühne under Dieter Hertel and Gila Brenig with Home of the Brave.

• 1950

  The Filmbühne has around 280 seats.

• 1933

  Heinrich Wenigmann opens the "Deutsche Filmbühne" in Beuel; first film shown is Blutendes Deutschland.

Arthouse cinema and cultural meeting point in Beuel, Bonn, known for its curated program of European and international films and repeatedly awarded for its programming.

• Arthouse films

• Auteur cinema

• European productions

• Documentaries

• Original-language screenings with subtitles

• School screenings

1. 1Kinoprogramm von REX und Neue Filmbühne Beuel: Startseiterex-filmbuehne.de
2. 2Kinoprogramm von REX und Neue Filmbühne Beuel: Geschichterex-filmbuehne.de
3. 3Neue Filmbühne Beuel - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Neue Filmbühne - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org