The European Arthouse Cinema Day, which took place on 23 November, is the oldest and most impactful international initiative dedicated to independent cinema and the global day of action for the industry and its allies. Organised by the International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas — CICAE together with its national members associations, its mission is to showcase the vital cultural contributions of arthouse cinemas, defend (film-)cultural diversity, elevate marginalized voices, and foster dialogue across borders, highlighting the power of cinema as a tool for cross-cultural cooperation, reflection, and a free and open democratic exchange.
On Arthouse Cinema Sunday, over 600 cinemas worldwide participated in the event, hosting a wide range of special screenings of hundreds of European productions, workshops, discussions, and specially-tailored programmes as well as hundreds of special events — reaching an estimated 90,000 viewers worldwide.
It its most international edition to date, this year’s Arthouse Cinema Day also welcomed several new regions:
- South Asia: Indonesia
- Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan
- Europe: Albania, Armenia
- Africa: Rwanda
This global expansion underscores the growing resonance of arthouse cinema and the shared commitment to making diverse voices and stories visible across cultures. The European Arthouse Cinema Day continues to unite partners across the audiovisual industry, offering cinemas curated programmes, marketing support, workshops, and networking opportunities, while also facilitating collaborations with filmmakers and cultural institutions worldwide.
Ambassadors & Patrons
This year’s Arthouse Cinema Day was supported by the initiative’s largest-ever group of 10 international ambassadors: Filmmakers Mascha Schilinski (Germany), Aki Kaurismäki (Finland), Sean Baker & Samantha Quan (USA), Teona Strugar Mitevska (North Macedonia), Carla Simón (Spain), Flóra Anna Buda (Hungary), Karim Aïnouz (Brazil), Maryam Touzani (Morocco), and Alice Winocour (France).
Their voices resonated strongly across venues worldwide — here’s a selection of their powerful statements:
Mascha Schilinski
Cinema is not about spectacle. It is about presence, about letting the audience breathe with the characters and recognize something deeply human in them.
Carla Simón
We've been hearing that theaters are in danger for, like, so long now. It's always there. But I feel really, theaters can never die! There is no equal experience than actually going into a cinema with people in a darkroom and watching a film together.
Teona Strugar Mitevska
The evolution of the industry has been incredible. We have gone so far, regarding really gender equality, which doesn't mean that we have reached the point where we should be, there is still a lot of work to do, but the change, it is incredible. Nobody, nobody can question my right or anybody's any females right to be on the set and to be a director or to be, cinema technician. And I think that's beautiful. That's evolution.
The initiative was also championed by European Patrons — including French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, German Minister of Culture Wolfram Weimer, Polish Minister of Culture Marta Cienkowska, and Sabine Verheyen, First Vice President of the European Parliament.
Full interviews with the Arthouse Cinema Day ambassadors — discussing their new films, creative process, and the themes that inspire them today — are available on the CICAE YouTube channel.
Events & Highlights
In hundreds of cities across the globe, cinemas hosted premieres, special screenings, and Q&A sessions with ambassadors — including Mascha Schilinski in Warsaw, Karim Aïnouz in Berlin, Alice Winocour in Paris, and Teona Strugar Mitevska in Aubenas.
The 2025 European Arthouse Cinema Day, once again, brought together partners from across the globe and from across the audiovisual industry. Cinemas in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Lagos (Nigeria), and Jakarta (Indonesia) collaborated with the Estonian, Hungarian, and Polish Film Institutes as well as distributors to host local premieres of beautifully restored European classics — illustrating how global and European institutions can work together to promote film heritage.
In Bangladesh, an extensive programme unfolded across several venues, including screenings, workshops, and in-depth discussions on the current state and future of the national arthouse cinema sector. Local and European experts, curators, and policymakers joined hands, making this, an important dialogue on how to strengthen arthouse exhibition in South Asia.
With audience from 30 cinemas across France participating online, Alice Winocour presented the much-anticipated premiere of Couture, at the Cinéma du Panthéon in Paris, followed by a Q&A session.
In the vibrant city of Warsaw, at the Kino Iluzjon, the screening of SOUND OF FALLING was joined by director, Mascha Schilinski live from Berlin sharing insights into the film's development and artistic vision.
In our home city of Berlin, Germany, audiences at Yorck Kinos were treated to an incredible programme of events. In the vibrant Kreuzberg district, the screening of Paternal Leave was followed by an enlightening Q&A with Alissa Jung, giving viewers the incredible chance to delve deeply into the film's themes. At the same time, Lemon Eye brought the heat with live music in the Passage Kino foyer, reating the warm, communal atmosphere that makes cinema-going so special.
In Strasbourg, at Cinéma Star — located right in the heart of Europe — a special family-oriented programme took place in partnership with KIDS Regio, the European children’s film network, featuring amazing premieres of animated films and creative workshops for children.
At the Zhovten Cinema in Kyiv, audiences packed the house for a series of premieres, each followed by discussions with filmmakers, demonstrating the ongoing cultural resilience and commitment to arthouse cinema in Ukraine.
In Seoul, at Youngsan CGV, an impressive European Film Festival was held, showcasing new releases — including the latest film KONTINeNTAL'25 by Radu Jude — and drawing large, enthusiastic audiences.
Together, these initiatives — and many more across the world — show the breadth of programming and the strength of cross-border collaborations within the international arthouse community.
Articles and tools supporting cinemas
Over the past few weeks, CICAE organised three professional workshops with Comscore, Alphapanda, and Evgeny Gusyatinskiy, a member of the selection committee of the International Rotterdam Film Festival. Articles based on these sessions will be published here in the coming days.
In addition, the CICAE and its regular contributors prepared a series of articles designed both for the European Arthouse Cinema Day and as practical tools for cinemas throughout the year. These resources remain accessible on the Arthouse Cinema Hub, which continues to provide insights and guidance relevant to arthouse cinemas worldwide.
Cinema professionals interested in contributing materials or sharing local experiences are encouraged to get in touch to explore new collaborative opportunities.
Looking ahead to 2026
More information about the 2026 activities will be shared soon — please keep an eye on the website.
Upcoming initiatives include Berlinale meet-ups, the Arthouse Cinema Training, the Arthouse Cinema Award, additional workshops and tools — and, of course, the next edition of the European Arthouse Cinema Day.
