Cinemas & movie theaters – All our local tips

Don’t know what to do for lunch? Maybe you’re tired of going to just another restaurant. You feel like a good cheap sandwich, but you’ll freeze off at least half of your body parts if you sit outside. Or you can’t stand talking to your tavel buddy anymore and long for a few minutes of silence. Or you belong to those brave and admirable adventurers who visit cities by themselves, but today sitting alone at a table and spending a fortune for a bite to eat gives you nightmares (the Swiss tend flash people sitting alone in public pitiful glances !). Maybe you also just want to eat popcorn.

The Lunch Kino is your rescue! Grab whatever you want to have for lunch wherever you want to, pay a lousy CHF 16.00 (very cheap for Zurich !) and you got a warm place to sit, one of the latest movies served along with it and if you wish, a flirt with a sexy movie freak included. To top this, all films shown are sneak previews that only enter the official program at a later point. If you’re a fan of Hollywood productions, the Lunch Kino might no be your thing.

The main focus is on specially selected studio films, often ones that have won awards or were loved most by the public at legendary festivals in Cannes, Venice, Berlin or Locarno. One movie runs for 7 days, starting Thursdays. Once in a while, there are special showings, where producers or actors come in to hold a speech that reaches from totally crazy to very inspiring (interesting in any case !). Or a live band plays to accompany the movie.

The Lunch Kino is great for all the arty amongst you, who love sitting in those oldschool, comfy, red velvet seats in one of the most authentic cinemas in town. Only catch, you can’t reserve, so be there early enough!

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Lunch Kino | Cinemas | Ticket CHF 16.00
Gottfried-Keller Strasse 7 | Kreis 1 City | +41442505560
Sept – July 12:15 – 14:00 (depending on length of movie)

In Switzerland it’s common practice to have an intermission in the middle of the film (so you can buy some ice cream or go to the loo). This interruption of the story line annoys many cinema goers. Additionally, more and more cinemas in Zurich belong to bigger chains, so they all show the same mainstream movies and look identical. But fortunately there are several art houses as well as Uto-Kino.

This cinema is a relic from the past, full of charm and atmosphere. Hardly anything has been renovated over the last few years (or maybe decades?). The 280 seats are all covered in burgundy velvet and they’re not numbered, so it’s the first come, first served practice. Most of the films on the programme are indie films and hits from years gone by. The cinema doesn’t have its own website but you’ll find its programme online or in one of the local newspapers.

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Uto-Kino | Cinemas | Ticket CHF 15.00
Kalkbreitestrasse 3 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41442419253
15.00, 18:15 and 20.30 daily

If you’re a film lover or cineast and thinking about watching a motion picture in Zurich, you should do that at Xenix. Why? Because it is one of the most reputable indie-cinemas in Switzerland (and probably Europe) with a wild history and many myths and legends attached to it.

The place had its beginnings in the eighties, the time of political and social unrest in Zurich. A group of people built up a cinema in the self-governed youth center which was the headquarters of the resistance against the establishment. The center closed, the cinema had to move, and not for the last time.

Over the years the Xenix was set up in many different places until it, almost thirty year ago, found a place it could stay for good: the Barracks on the Kanzlei-area. Over the years it grew up and became more and more professional.

And that’s where it still is. In the building there’s also a Bar to have a drink before, after or while the film (it’s no problem to get a beer and take it into the cinema). If you’re early, you can get one of the sofa seats in the front – veeery comfy. So if you’re going with your significant other, make sure you be there in time.

The Xenix has topical program-months; about a specific theme, director, era or genre. In summer, they host an open air cinema – well worth checking out. Normally, Xenix has several showings a day, with many different films – just don’t expect to see a Blockbuster with Angelina Jolie here.

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Xenix | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas | Showing CHF 16.00
Kanzleistrasse 52 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41442420411
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 00:30, Fri 16:00 – 02:30, Sat 11:30 – 02:30, Sun 11:30 – 00:30

The annual Youth Filming Days are the largest and most renown festival for upcoming Swiss filmmakers. They’re already taking place for the 34th time this March. The heart of the festival is a competition, where people of up to 25 years can hand in their productions (short films).

All films are shown by age category, judged by a jury as well as the audience and a winner announced on the last day. Further there’s also a category for students up to 30 years that are currently attending film schools. In between, other films created by young adults from all over the world are shown that focus on themes that concern young people cross-culturally.

On top there are various studio workshops to take part in and of course the legendary parties in the evenings, where all of Zurich’s hipsters meet up to go wild for a few hours. On the website you can check out the detailed program and take a first look at the films that are in the competition.

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Youth Filming Days 2010 | Art & culture, Cinemas, Festivals & events | Entrance from CHF 00.00
Gessnerallee 9 | Kreis 1 City
10 – 14 March 2010 (check website for program)