Where To Find Out What’s Going On
Your best bet for searching the event listings and purchasing tickets online is through Berlin’s local English magazine ExBerliner. http://www.exberliner.com
Here you will find listing for all major events, and many of the more underground variety also.
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Movies
The area around Potsdamer Platz is the place to go in Berlin for movies It boasts three large movie houses offering a total of 30 screens as well as dozens of other smaller houses. To see English-language movies, look for “OMU” in the listings next to each film – this means the film is being shown in the original language with German subtitles. Some “OV” or original version without subtitles can also be found. There is also an IMAX theatre, and the Berlin International Film Festival (http://www.berlinale.de) is in the Theatre am Potsdamer Platz.
For popular American movies, the release dates may differ from American dates depending on the marketing plan for the film. Ticket prices also vary, depending on the time of day (before 5PM is discounted) and the day of the week (the earlier in the week, the cheaper).
Movie listings can be found in Time Out Berlin magazine, Zitty Magazine, TIP Magazine and TIP Magazine’s Online Listing: http://www.tip-berlin.de/kino-und-film/filme-von-a-z. Also, a twice-monthly free magazine, (030), can be found in cafes all over Berlin, and have listings for movies. Open-air and major cinemas provide online ticket purchasing, however for art house cinemas you will need to purchase tickets at the cinema, excluding during Berlinale when tickets can be purchased online for all events.
Major Cinema Centres (English Films)
| CinemaxX at Potsdamer Platz | Potsdamer Straße 5, Tiergarten, | http://www.cinemaxx.de |
| CineStar Original in the Sony Centre | Potsdamer Straße 4 (Sony Centre), Tiergarten | http://www.cinestar.de |
| IMAX 3-D Potsdamer Platz | Potsdamer Str. 4 (Sony Centre), Mitte | http://www.cinestar-imax.de/ |
| Cubix-Ufa Palast | Rathausstraße 1, Mitte |
Art Houses Cinemas
| Arsenal | Potsdamer Straße. 2 (im Filmhaus), Tiergarten |
| Fsk Oranienplatz | Segitzdamm 2, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg |
Open Air Movies
| Freiluftkino Friedrichshain | In Volkspark Friedrichshain |
| Freiluftkino Kreuzberg | Mariannenplatz 2, Innenhof Haus Bethanien, Kreuzberg |
| Open Air Kino Spandau | Carl-Schurz-Straße 13, Spandau |
| Freiluftkino INSEL | Revaler Str. 99 / Ecke Simon-Dach-Str. |
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DVDs
It should be noted that all ‘German-made’ films sold or rented on DVD are in German, with no subtitles available. Also, DVDs sold in Germany are Region 2, which is for Europe; the U.S. is Region 1. Region 2 DVDs will not work in DVD players purchased in another region.
Purchase
Dussmann is by far the most popular place to buy DVDs. They have an extensive selection of DVDs in all languages.
Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus
Friedrichstraße 90, Berlin
Tel: 030 20251111
http://www.kulturkaufhaus.de
Rentals
For rentals, Video World (http://www.videoworld.de) is a popular chain with locations all over Berlin; you’ll need ID and a credit card to open an account, and your account is only valid in the branch you joined. There are also excellent, reputable individually-owned stores for rental and purchase in every neighbourhood. Most rental places have ATM-like machines with which you can use your account card to rent DVDs 24/7.
Filmkunst-Berlin has films organized by country of origin.
Revaler Straße 8, 10245 Berlin +49 30 41997165
http://filmkunst-berlin.de
Filmgalerie 451 has classics and art house films.
Torstr. 231 (Mitte), Berlin – +49 30 23457911
Esplanade 21, Berlin – +49 30 43720889
Saarbrücker Str. 24, Berlin – +49 30 33982800
http://www.filmgalerie-berlin.de
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Opera, Theatre and Dance
The performing arts are an extremely popular past time for Berliners, and people go just as often to see opera, theatre and dance as to the movies, if not more so. Many of the most popular theatres and groups have subscriptions, so tickets can be hard to come by – it is best to book as early as possible.
Tickets are available at the venue, at the venue’s site online, and at ticket stalls in major department stores; there is no additional fee for tickets purchased at the venue.
| Deutsche Oper Berlin (also home to Staatsballet Berlin ballet) | Richard-Wagner-Str. Charlottenberg Berlin
Tel: 030 34384-0 Ticket sales: http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/ or at the box office at Bismarckstr. 35, 10627 Berlin (+49 (0) 30 – 343 84 343) |
| Staatsoper Unter den Linden (Berlin State Opera) | Unter den Linden 7, Mitte Tel: 030 203540 |
| Komische Oper Berlin (Opera) | Behrenstraße 55-57, Mitte Tel: 030 47997400 |
| Theatre des Westens (Major plays, touring companies) | Kantstraße 12, Tiergarten, Tel: 030 319030 |
Dance
Berlin is one of the world’s top cities for dance of all kinds. There are three large theatres that offer an extensive season of dance performances:
- Hebbel-Am-Ufer: http://www.hebbel-am-ufer.de
- Volksbühne: http://www.volksbuehne-berlin.de/
- Haus der Berliner Festspiele: http://www.berlinerfestspiele.de/
There are two festivals (one with big names in August; a more locally-themed festival in January).
- Tanz im August: http://www.tanzimaugust.de/
- Tanztage Berlin: http://www.tanztage.de/
Local dance-oriented spaces that present excellent work are:
- Sophiensaele: http://www.sophiensaele.com/
- Dock Elf: http://www.dock11-berlin.de/
