B-Movie (Hamburg)
Address: Brigittenstr. 5 / D-20357 Hamburg / Germany
Tel-Fax : +49 (0)40 4305867
Email : b-movie at b-movie.de
Contact : Sarah Adam, Andy Senkel, Angela Franke, Judith Behre, Manja Malz, Nele Plattig.
www.b-movie.de
1 screen, 62 seats.
Tech: 35mm, 16mm, 8mm, Beta, Beta SP, VHS and digital formats such as DVD and mpg.
History: Since more than 20 years the B-Movie Kulturinitiative presents an innovative and unique programme for a fee of 3,50 Euro. The B-Movie started out as a political cinema-initiative in 1987 and developed to an important and basic cultural association in the area of St. Pauli, Hamburg. Today the main focus of the B-Movie is to present a creative independent cinema programme in Hamburg.
Known and appreciated for its unique atmosphere the B-Movie is one of the usual cinemas used by Filmfestivals, as for example the International ShortFilmFestival Hamburg, the Lesbisch-Schwule Filmtage Hamburg, the Japanisches Filmfest Hamburg, RADAR International Independent Film Festival Hamburg and the UNERHÖRT! Das Musikfilmfestival Hamburg.
Organisational structure: The B-Movie Kulturinitiative auf St. Pauli e.V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener gemeinnütziger Verein).
Our association consists of about 25 members, of which about 17 members are active ones which organise the entire business and daily routine of the B-Movie.
All members of the B-Movie work voluntary and non-salaried.
The aim of the cinema is to provide a cultural programme for everyone and to present rare and unique films for a low entry fee.
Another aim of the B-Movie Kulturinitiative auf St. Pauli e.V. is to create and provide a space for other initiatives and to give them the possibility to present a cultural programme without financial restrictions.
Editorial Line: The B-Movie presents a different programme every month. Each member of the cinema can suggest and organise a programme; the final decision about the programme is made by the assembly of the active members.
The monthly programme focuses on different themes and topics. These themes can be a portrait of a director, an actor, a genre or a special topic (such as Lou Castel, Gus van Sant, Mike Leigh, Dario Argento, Nouvelle Vague Allemande, Forbidden Films of the GDR, Sexploitation classics etc.).
Generally the B-Movie is interested in films that are usually not to be screened (low-budget/ independent productions, old and new ones or controversial films).
Regularity: The B-Movie Kulturinitiative auf St. Pauli e.V. screens films on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, on each day two screenings take place.
Additionally every Wednesday a different group presents a varying programme: The DienstagsKino from the Hamburg ShortFilmAgency, the Cinema for non-hearing and hearing impaired persons and the DienstagsDoku, which shows documentaries on various contents. Also once a month we have the Q-Movie Bar as our guest, which is a forum for queer films. Fridays are reserved for special programmes.
Other stuff: The Hörbar e.V., cooperative for experimental music, meets every Wednesday in the B-Movie and organises a concert once a month. In addition to that some theatre and literature initiatives use the location of the B-Movie several times a year.
Publicity: The B-Movie promotes its programmes mainly in the traditional way of distributing a “monthly programme-flyer” including a description of the films, a movie schedule, and all events of the other initiatives and cooperatives.
Furthermore we have a monthly newsletter and our website.
Additionally we reach many younger persons by recommendations.
Audience: Since the B-Movie curates different programmes each month, the audience varies regarding the different topics.
However the cinema has some fans and regular visitors and relies on the audience from the neighbourhood in the area of St. Pauli.
Funding: Since entry fees do in no way cover or finance the entire business of the B-Movie Kulturinitiative auf St. Pauli e.V., the cinema relies on additional funding.
Hence we are bound to apply for funding and support from the Filmförderung Hamburg, and the Community of Hamburg – which, however, are not always granted.