Looking to catch new and classic English-language cinema in Berlin and not sure where to head? Here’s a guide to the top spots for watching films in English in Berlin.

German cinema vocabulary: What do OmU, OmeU and OV mean?

If you’re looking to watch English-language films in Berlin, or anywhere in Germany for that matter, there are some important acronyms you should get to know. Cinemas across the country use acronyms to indicate what language the film is being shown in, and what language the subtitles are in.

Unless you speak Swedish or advanced German, you’ll want to avoid accidentally getting stuck watching the whole five hours of Fanny och Alexander with German subtitles. With so many linguistic possibilities, planning a trip can get a little confusing, so make sure to check the programme carefully for subtitle details to avoid disappointment when the opening credits roll. 

You'll see the following acronyms in German cinema listings: 

DF

DF means Deutsche Fassung and indicates that the film is either a German-language film or a foreign language film that has been dubbed into German. 

OV

OV stands for original version. The film will be in its original language (which is often English), but there will be no subtitles. 

OmU

OmU stands for Original mit Untertiteln (original with subtitles). This means the film be shown in the original language version with subtitles, which are usually in German. This can be helpful if you're learning German and just want a little help when the dialogue is super fast, but it all depends on your language level. 

OmeU

OmeU means Original mit englische Untertiteln (original with English subtitles). The film will be shown in its original language with English subtitles. 

OmU+

Less common, but still possible: OmU+ indicates that a film will be in its original language with English and German subtitles. 

English-language cinemas in Berlin

Since dubbing is not such common practice in Berlin’s cinemas, most of the city’s 91 theatres are friendly to those looking to see a film in English or with English subtitles. Below is a selection of theatres that regularly screen a wide range of classic and new cinema.

Yorck Kinos

Yorck Kinos is a reliable spot on the Berlin Kino scene. The franchise runs 14 cinemas across eight of the city’s 12 districts, each with multiple, architecturally unique screens.

Yorck screens all the titles that cinephiles are talking about, with some classics alongside. Regular specials include its MonGay weekly queer movie screening at Babylon Kreuzberg, Fetch monthly teen romcom screening at the Odeon and the Ciné Club for Francophiles bi-weekly screening at Cinema Paris in Charlottenburg.

Find out what’s on via the Yorck Kinogruppe website.

Image credit: Camilo Concha / Shutterstock.com

Moviemento

Moviemento is Germany’s longest-running Kino, having opened as Topps Kino all the way back in 1907, just 12 years after the Lumière brothers held the world’s first film screening in Paris.

Almost 120 years later, Moviemento is still going strong in Neukölln. It may be mini but Moviemento’s long history means it is also host to some of Berlin’s cinema's hottest annual events.

Find out what’s on via the Moviemento website.

Babylon

Alongside Yorck’s majestic Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee, Babylon Kino’s facade makes it one of the most iconic cinema spots in Berlin.

The theatre in Mitte opened in 1927 and was one of the last silent film cinemas to open in the German city. Consequently, language doesn’t matter so much at Babylon. The Kino shows classic talkies but is best known for its silent film screenings which have been accompanied by the Babylon Kino Orchestra since it was founded in 2019.

Find out what’s on via the Babylon Kino website.

Image credit: hinterhof / Shutterstock.com

Arsenal - Institute for Film and Video Art

Arsenal is another cinema for Berlin’s biggest film boffins and Kino curious. Head here to catch everything that might be missing from the mainstream screen, such as a documentary on the First International Women’s Film Seminar of 1973, a retrospective on Slovenian cinema and the works of lesser-known film makers like Margarete Raspé and Claire Simon.

Visitors beware! Until 2025, the Arsenal cinema was located at Potsdamer Platz as part of the Berlin Film and TV Museum. Over the course of 2025, Arsenal will take up residence across different Berlin cinemas before settling at Silent Green in 2026. The Film and TV Museum is currently closed and will reopen at E-Werk in Mitte in late 2025.

For more information head to the Arsenal Kino website.

Zoo Palast

Opened in 1956, the Zoo Palast was once the go-to Kino for cinema premieres in West Berlin. A stone’s throw from the unmissable Gedächtniskirche, the cinema’s largest screen can sit 1.200 and still hosts premieres for the annual Berlinale International Film Festival.

Head here to catch all the big flicks of the week, smaller film festivals such as the Fastasy Filmfest, previews, and some projections in 70mm for a higher-quality viewing experience.

Find out what’s on via the Zoo Palast website.

Image credit: tichr / Shutterstock.com

CineStar

CineStar is Berlin’s biggest commercial cinema chain. The German company has been running since 1948 and has six cinemas across Berlin, at Alexanderplatz, Treptower Park, Hellersdorf, Prenzlauer Berg and Tegel.

At CineStar you can catch all the latest mainstream films, plus some classics, screenings of major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, and live broadcasts of ballet and opera shows.

Find out what’s on via the CineStar Berlin website.

Open-air English-language cinemas in Berlin

Shortly after winter and film awards season passes, open-air cinema (Freiluftkino) season begins. Berliners are spoilt for choice when it comes to open-air cinema season. There are around 30 dotted around the capital, and some of them don’t even cost a cent!

Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and Rehberge make up the trio of Berlin’s staple Freiluftkinos. Each location has deck-chair or picnic-blanket space for around 1.500 guests and a ticket will set you back 9 euros. 

As is the case with most open-air Kinos in Germany, a mixture of new flicks and classic hits grace the screens over the season. The majority of showings will be in English or have English subtitles.

To find out more about Freiluftkinos across Germany, head to our article.

Time to go to the pictures?

Now that you know where to look, it’s time to pick a film and head to the pictures! Enjoy!

Thumb image credit: FDR Stock / Shutterstock.com