Registration is now open for the 11th European Arthouse Cinema Day, taking place on 22 November 2026. Organised by CICAE, the initiative brings together hundreds of cinemas across the world, for a shared celebration of European filmmaking and independent cinemas as crucial spaces for open cultural exchange.
For one day each year, arthouse cinemas across countries, cities and communities become part of the same international event, while remaining entirely free to shape it in their own way.
A preview ahead of its theatrical release, a filmmaker Q&A, a rediscovered classic, a programme for younger audiences, a workshop or simply a film that deserves another moment on the big screen: European Arthouse Cinema Day can take many forms.
The principle is deliberately open. Participating venues are asked to screen at least one European co-production, but everything else, from the number of films to the format and scale of the event, is decided by the cinema itself. Across its first ten editions, European Arthouse Cinema Day has reached 600,000 spectators in 45 countries, with around 660 cinemas participating annually. The 2025 edition alone brought audiences together for 4,277 screenings and 400 national events, alongside international events and workshops involving cinema professionals from around the world.
Earache year cinemas talented filmmakers and political figures support the Day, and participate in special screening events. This year, Pedro Almodovar, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Léa Mysius, Faraz Shariat, Isabelle Stever & Anna Melikova, Valentina and Nicole Bertani, Boots Riley and Anca Damian are by our sides with their latest films!
A shared day, shaped locally
European Arthouse Cinema Day is also an opportunity for cinemas to experiment with formats that may not be part of their usual programme.
Last year, a Q&A following Alice Winocour's premiere Coutures was broadcast live from Paris to around 70 cinemas across France. In Berlin, a collaboration with Deutsche Hörfilm combined a screening with a workshop exploring cinema accessibility for blind and partially sighted audiences. In South Korea, the initiative expanded into a five-day festival. Elsewhere, participation can be as simple as one carefully chosen screening.
This flexibility is central to the initiative. Rather than asking cinemas to reproduce the same programme, European Arthouse Cinema Day provides a common framework in which each venue can respond to its own audience, local context and resources.
At the same time, bringing these individual events together gives independent cinemas a collective visibility that can be difficult to achieve alone. The initiative aims to strengthen international collaboration, support the circulation of European films and make visible the cultural, social and political role played by arthouse cinemas.
What participating cinemas receive
Participation in European Arthouse Cinema Day is completely free.
Registered cinemas receive ready-to-use communication materials, including the official poster, logos and social media assets, alongside promotional videos featuring this year's filmmaker ambassadors.
In the run-up to 22 November, CICAE is also developing a curated selection of film recommendations together with distributors, sales agents and international partners. These will include special programming opportunities, reduced-price offers and selected previews where available.
Participating cinemas can also join the Arthouse Cinema Meets free webinars, offering practical sessions, case studies and exchange with colleagues from the international arthouse community. Sessions are dedicated to repertory cinemas, alternative distribution, programming, or marketing, for instance.
The wider Arthouse Cinema Hub website offers further resources on programming, marketing and audience development, as well as opportunities for cinemas to exchange programmes and ideas throughout the year.
Cinemas as spaces for exchange
Alongside celebrating the diversity of European filmmaking, European Arthouse Cinema Day draws attention to the role independent cinemas play beyond exhibition alone.
From its beginnings, the initiative has been connected to values of artistic freedom, democracy, tolerance and cultural exchange across borders. Bringing hundreds of independent venues together on the same day makes that role visible not only to audiences, but also to
cultural institutions and policymakers.
For CICAE, the European Arthouse Cinema Day is therefore both a celebration and an opportunity to strengthen connections between cinemas, filmmakers, distributors, cultural organisations and audiences internationally.
Registration is open on artcinemaday.org
Register for European Arthouse Cinema Day 2026. Cinemas do not need to have their final programme ready in order to register. They can sign up now and add their programme later as plans develop. Registration and participation are free:
The 11th European Arthouse Cinema Day takes place on 22 November 2026.
One shared day, hundreds of individual programmes, and an international network of cinemas bringing European films to audiences on the big screen.
