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Berlin / Potsdam - In this exceptional year, the Berlin-Brandenburg Cinema Programming Award honours the incredible stamina, tireless commitment and immense creativity that cinema organisers have demonstrated in order to get through the difficult time of the lockdowns.

MBB managing director Kirsten Niehuus and MBB cinema representative Christian Berg thank cinema organisers in the city and the state with a virtual Cinema Programming Award ceremony hosted by cinema king Knut Elstermann. Special guests and cinema patrons in attendance: director Julia von Heinz, whose MBB-funded film “Und morgen die ganze Welt” (“And tomorrow, the whole world”) was one of the last films to open in cinemas before the coronavirus Shutdown, and director/actor Daniel Brühl, whose MBB-funded directorial debut “Nebenan” (“Next Door”) celebrated its world premiere in competition at this year’s Berlinale.

Medienboard is once again providing the record sum from the previous year of almost 1.5 million euros for the Cinema Programming Award. A total of 96 cinemas from Berlin and Brandenburg will receive an immediate bonus of 5,000 euros. The 51 Cinema Programming Award winners from 2020 will once again receive the same prize as last year in the amount of 5,000 to 35,000 euros. As annual programming was not possible in the coronavirus year, MBB is going by the 2019 programme.

The 96 winners of the Cinema Programming Awards 2021 for Berlin and Brandenburg (PDF downloads).

Dr Christian Bräuer, AG Kino chairman of the board: “Especially in times of crisis, cinemas must show their colours and fulfil their role as a cultural venue with all their might. Even after the hopefully imminent reopening, special effort is required. With the continuation of the significantly increased Cinema Programming Award, Medienboard is laying the foundation for this and making an important contribution to preserving the unique cinema and programming diversity in the capital region. We would like to thank Kirsten Niehuus, Christian Berg and the Medienboard supervisory board for their dedication and this strong commitment to cinema.”

Stated Kirsten Niehuus, Medienboard managing director: “CINEMA SHINES THROUGH! We all miss the dedicated and inspiring work of the cinema organisers, who time and again provide us with extraordinary cinema experiences and are at the heart of the diverse film culture in the capital region. We want to do our part to ensure that cinemas continue to survive these enormous challenges – so that we can soon be sure to experience great cinema on the big screen again!”

Christian Berg, Medienboard cinema representative: “Everyone is joined in waiting for the cinemas to be able to reopen: audiences just as much as you, the cinema operators. We are happy that everyone is still here and well prepared to start fresh. The Cinema Programming Award this year therefore recognises your special commitment.”

❤ More on the Cinema Programming Award Saturday on the show “12 Uhr Mittags” with cinema king Knut Elstermann on radioeins at 95.8 MHz! More Kiez cinema stories can also be found under #meinKinoimKiez on the radioeins website! ❤