Filmhaus Köln

After moving into the Maybachstraße building in 1998, the association offered seminars and training courses, an equipment rental service, and its own Filmhauskino. Young filmmakers produced films in the in-house production workshop. That same year, Stephan Sarasi launched the International Short Film Festival Short Cuts Cologne, which was held at the Filmhaus for many years. Only the catering was run independently.

Disagreement between members and the board over the association's future course led to the board's resignation and insolvency in 2012; the association was dissolved. In late October 2012 the City of Cologne initiated the so-called "Heimfall" — the reclaiming of the leasehold — and from November 2013 the property once again belonged to the city. At the same time, Runge TV GmbH, Patrick Finder, lawyer Thomas Tegeler and the Munich Filmwerkstatt each took a quarter share in founding Filmhaus Köln gGmbH, with Otto-Georg Schöne as managing director. From autumn 2012 the buildings, then under forced administration, saw interim use, with Stephan Sarasi and Felix Seiffert running the cinema for about four years.

The association "Neues Kölner Filmhaus" e. V., founded in November 2012, bought Thomas Tegeler's shares in the gGmbH and continues to run the production workshop. From 2013, Christian Locke ran the film equipment rental — using city-owned gear — together with the city, relocating to Cologne-Mülheim in August 2016. A 2014 survey and subsequent planning revealed a greater need for renovation than expected, partly because the association had neglected upkeep. The Filmhauskino closed in October 2016, and the renovation was put out to tender in January 2017. After the gGmbH's insolvency in winter 2016, operation passed to the newly tendered FK Filmhaus Köln GmbH i. Gr.; the building reopened under new management in October 2021.

Filmhaus Köln is an institution for film culture active both in North Rhine-Westphalia and nationwide. Its cinema screens current releases alongside a non-commercial programme, working closely with festivals, independent curators and film initiatives. Film and training programmes cater to all age groups, from family Sundays to courses for aspiring filmmakers. Offices, seminar rooms, the foyer and the cinema are also available to rent.