Babylon

The Berlin Indie Film Festival is proud to hold many of its main screenings, award ceremonies, and special events at the historic Babylon cinema in Berlin-Mitte.

Babylon opened in 1929, during the final years of the Weimar Republic, a period in which Berlin was one of Europe's most important centres of cinema, theatre, nightlife, and artistic experimentation. Designed by architect Hans Poelzig, the cinema was part of a larger architectural project around the former Bülowplatz, today Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. Remarkably, the block that contains Babylon was the only part of this Poelzig-designed ensemble to survive the Second World War completely intact.

From the beginning, Babylon was conceived as much more than a simple neighbourhood cinema. It opened as a silent film cinema, with an orchestra pit and a cinema organ for musical accompaniment. Poelzig himself had a strong connection to film and theatre, not only as an architect but also as a set designer, including his work connected with the silent classic The Golem: How He Came into the World.

Babylon's history also reflects the more complex chapters of Berlin's 20th century. One of the cinema's projectionists, Rudolf Lunau, was involved in anti-fascist resistance during the Nazi period. He used the projection room for secret meetings and helped hide opponents of the regime. Today, a memorial plaque in the cinema foyer keeps his story alive.

After the Second World War, Babylon became part of the cultural life of East Berlin. Reopened in 1948, it later played an important role in the cinema landscape of the German Democratic Republic, screening specialist films, DEFA productions, documentaries, and official film programmes.

The cinema was restored between 1999 and 2001, preserving different layers of its history. One of the most remarkable features is the restored cinema organ, still played in its original location, allowing Babylon to continue the tradition of live musical accompaniment for silent films.

For us, Babylon represents exactly the kind of place where independent cinema belongs: a real cinema, full of memory, history, and atmosphere. As our main Berlin venue, it gives filmmakers and audiences the chance to experience new independent films inside one of the city's most iconic film spaces.

The Berlin Indie Film Festival also works with other cinemas, cultural venues, and community spaces around the city for smaller screenings, filmmaker meetings, and regular side events — allowing the festival to remain active and connected to different parts of Berlin's independent cultural scene throughout the year.