Filmhaus Köln
Hub for film culture combining a deliberately non-commercial cinema, film education, and professional training — housed in a former freight depot building from 1891.
since 2021
The Filmhaus Köln brings together cinema, film education, and professional development under one roof. Recognised as a centre for film culture, it serves audiences across North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond.
At a Glance
- Type
- Film culture centre with cinema
- Location
- Maybachstraße, Neustadt/Nord (city district Innenstadt)
- Reopened
- October 2021
- Areas
- Cinema, Film Education, Film Professionals, Atelier
- Transport
- Hansaring stop (S-Bahn + U-Bahn)
The Filmhaus Köln building was originally constructed in 1891–97 as an administrative building for a freight railway depot – and after a film collective that moved in during 1997 went bankrupt in 2012, it sat idle again until reopening after years of renovation in 2021.
Things to do here
- Catch arthouse and non-commercial films in a former goods-station building
- Watch current releases and festival picks on the big screen
- Bring the kids along for the family Sunday programme
- Join film-education activities for all ages
- Admire the striking industrial architecture of the building
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Cinema and Programme
Alongside current releases, the cinema runs a deliberately non-commercial programme in collaboration with festivals, independent curators, and film initiatives. Programming is overseen by Dirk Steinkühler and Joachim Kühn. A Cineville subscription allows unlimited visits.
Film Education and Atelier
Film education at the Filmhaus is open to all ages. The resident MiniFilmclub caters to pre-school children, while a mentoring programme and the Junge Filmhaus serve young adults. Regular highlights include a Family Sunday. Professional training runs under the banner "Film Professionals", managed by the mibeg-Institut. The Atelier supports film enthusiasts and emerging filmmakers with their own projects.
A Meeting Place for the Industry
Beyond its public programme, the building provides a permanent base for several festivals and film organisations, including the International Women's Film Festival Dortmund/Cologne, the Kurzfilmfestival Köln, the Edimotion film festival, the Filmbüro NRW, the Netzwerk Filmkultur NRW, and the Dokumentarfilminitiative — bringing the cinema world and the film industry together in one place.
History
The building dates from 1891–97, originally constructed as the administrative wing of the Cologne Gereon freight depot. After years of disuse, the Initiative Kölner Filmhaus moved in following restoration in 1997. When the association went insolvent in 2012, the city arranged interim uses before beginning a full renovation in 2016. A competitive dialogue process in 2018 awarded the lease to FK Filmhaus Köln GmbH, which has run the venue under new management ever since.
Timeline
- 1891–1897Building constructed as administrative building of the Gereon freight depot
- 1997Initiative Kölner Filmhaus moves into the renovated building
- 2012Association goes insolvent; city assigns various interim uses
- 2016Renovation of the building begins
- 2018City relaunches use in a dialogue process; FK Filmhaus Köln GmbH selected
- Oktober 2021Filmhaus Köln opens under new management
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Maybachstraße 111
50670 Köln
Contact
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official Instagram (@filmhauskoeln)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-24)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-24)
- Google Maps (retrieved 2026-06-24)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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