Tilsiter Lichtspiele

Richard-Sorge-Str. 25a, 10249 Berlin

The Tilsiter Lichtspiele has been projecting films on Richard-Sorge-Strasse in Friedrichshain since 1908, making it one of the oldest surviving cinemas in a city that once had hundreds. Its two screens are complemented by a bar furnished with battered sofas where the evening often begins or refuses to end. Late-night screenings are a tradition here, and the atmosphere tilts decidedly bohemian -- this is a place where the boundary between cinema, neighbourhood bar and living room has long since dissolved. The programme ranges across arthouse, repertory and the occasional genre curiosity, programmed with a personal touch that reflects the tastes of its operators rather than market logic. In a district increasingly shaped by new construction, the Tilsiter holds its ground as a weathered, unpretentious testament to Friedrichshain's countercultural roots.