17 events for cinema owners, programmers and technicians in Germany: exhibitor meetings, trade shows, film markets, festivals with industry programmes and training — with dates where the organiser has published them.
17 events shown
29 September 2026 – 1 October 2026 · Hamburg, Germany
International summit on film distribution held within FilmFest Hamburg's Industry Days, covering release strategies, audience behaviour, data and theatrical exhibition. Relevant to bookers and programmers working closely with distributors.
Festivals with industry programmesIFDS with FilmFest HamburgOfficial site
30 September 2026 · Germany · Online
Members-only online training series from Germany's cinema association: distributor campaign presentations, local marketing, programming, DCP creation, inclusion and funding updates. Next session: STUDIOCANAL campaign presentation on 30 Sept 2026.
Online and webinarsHDF KINO e.V.Official site
24 October 2026 · Berlin, Germany
Award ceremony for municipal cinemas and film-culture initiatives (27th edition in 2026), held during the Film Restored festival, with a programme of international repertory ideas for cinemas. Free to attend with registration.
Awards, training and educationKinematheksverbund (with Deutsche Kinemathek and BkF)Official site
2 December 2026 · Cologne, Germany
Federal awards ceremony for German cinemas with culturally outstanding annual programmes, including prizes for children's, documentary and short-film programming. Winning cinemas receive cash prizes; applications close in June.
Awards, training and educationBeauftragter der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM)Official site
9 February 2027 · Berlin, Germany
One-day innovation conference on the future of cinema-going, held the day before the Berlinale, with international panels on audience development, market consolidation and technology. Panels are streamed; aimed at exhibitors and their distribution partners.
Independent and art houseAG Kino – Gilde deutscher FilmkunsttheaterOfficial site
10 February 2027 – 16 February 2027 · Berlin, Germany
The first major film market of the year, running alongside the Berlinale, with market screenings and an industry programme. Useful for larger programmers and exhibitor-distributors scouting titles and meeting sales agents.
Film marketsBerlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)Official siteFull guide
11 February 2027 – 18 February 2027 · Berlin, Germany
Screenings of Berlinale titles organised for member art-house cinemas so programmers can assess festival films for their screens.
Independent and art houseAG Kino – Gilde deutscher FilmkunsttheaterOfficial site
13 July 2027 – 16 July 2027 · Hamburg, Germany
Germany's new central cinema-industry convention, merging the former Filmtheaterkongress KINO and Filmtage Köln into one event with distributor trade screenings, panels, workshops and a trade show. The main annual gathering for German exhibitors.
Trade shows and conventionsHDF KINO / AllScreens (run by Zukunft Kino Marketing)Official site
20 September 2027 – 24 September 2027 · Leipzig, Germany
The largest art-house trade fair in the German-speaking world: five days of 60+ pre-release film screenings, distributor presentations and panels, plus the Gilde film awards and MDM cinema programme awards. Where German-speaking art-house programmers book their autumn/winter slates.
Independent and art houseAG Kino – Gilde deutscher FilmkunsttheaterOfficial siteFull guide
Next dates not announced · usually A weekend in November/December, annually (changing host city; 2025 in Dresden) · Germany
The annual national congress of Germany's municipal, student and non-commercial cinemas, focused on cultural film work, programming and cinema policy. Key networking event for community and publicly funded cinemas.
Independent and art houseBundesverband kommunale Filmarbeit (BkF)Official site
Next dates not announced · usually Late August–September, annually (application deadline in spring) · last held 24 August 2026 · Berlin, Germany
One-week residential training for arthouse exhibitors covering business planning, digital marketing and data, green cinema and technology, with mentoring and networking. Aimed at young exhibitors and people opening or relaunching an independent cinema.
Awards, training and educationCICAE – International Confederation of Art CinemasOfficial site
Next dates not announced · usually September weekend, annually · last held 12 September 2026 · Germany
Nationwide cinema weekend with a flat ticket price across participating German cinemas, designed to bring lapsed audiences back. Cinemas register through the organiser's cinema login and receive campaign materials.
Exhibitor associationsGerman cinema industry initiative (cinema and distribution sector)Official siteFull guide
Next dates not announced · usually November, annually · last held 19 November 2025 · Kempten, Germany
Bavaria's annual programme-award ceremony for cinemas (77 cinemas awarded in 2025), preceded by an industry warm-up evening. Recognises outstanding annual film programmes with cash prizes.
Awards, training and educationFFF Bayern (FilmFernsehFonds Bayern)Official site
Next dates not announced · usually January, annually (2027 edition announced, dates not yet published) · last held 20 January 2026 · Munich, Germany
The traditional start-of-year gathering of the German cinema trade: four days of distributor trade shows presenting the coming year's slates to cinema operators and service providers (1,600+ participants in 2026).
Trade shows and conventionsFilmwoche München (Kurt-Schalk-Stiftung)Official site
Next dates not announced · usually Autumn, annually · last held 12 November 2025 · Berlin, Germany
HDF KINO's annual cinema-policy evening where exhibitors and federal politicians debate the sector's challenges, funding and investment needs.
Exhibitor associationsHDF KINO e.V.Official site
Next dates not announced · usually November, annually (applications close end of March) · last held 4 November 2025 · Germany
Annual ceremony at which North Rhine-Westphalia's film fund awards around €1 million to cinemas for diverse programming of German and European films and children's and youth films.
Awards, training and educationFilm- und Medienstiftung NRWOfficial site
Next dates not announced · usually June, annually · last held 25 June 2026 · Schneverdingen, Germany
Annual ceremony at which the regional film fund awards cash prizes to commercial and non-commercial cinemas in Lower Saxony and Bremen for their programming (67 venues in 2026).
Awards, training and educationnordmedia – Film- und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/BremenOfficial site