The “nonstop cinema subscription” itself starts on March 16th. The system works like streaming platforms. Anyone who takes out a membership can watch almost unlimited films. The participating cinemas include the large Gartenbau, but smaller ones such as the Filmcasino, Burg Kino, Votiv Kino, Admiral Kino, Top Kino, Schikaneder, De France, Stadtkino and the Filmhaus can also be visited as part of the subscription.
The “nonstop cinema subscription” initiative is also being launched in five federal states. In a total of 18 cinemas across Austria, it is hoped to lure those interested in film a little far away from Netflix and Co and back to the local cinemas.
Shipment note:
Vienna today, 7 p.m., ORF 2
Young audience, but not only
The strategy is intended to help the smaller arthouse cinemas in particular to survive economically. Instead of streaming a film alone at home, the cinema subscription should motivate you to experience something together, project manager Martin Kitzberger told Radio Vienna. Going to the cinema should once more become a regular part of leisure activities.
First and foremost, they want to appeal to a young audience, but not only, as Kitzberger emphasizes. Films such as The Peacock, which opens in March, regarding a group of investment bankers on a team building trip in Scotland, are aimed at older audiences. The cinema subscription covers all regular film screenings, but “we have the limitation at the beginning that Universal films are not included. But we are working on ensuring that this will be the case in the future,” said Kitzberger.
Dutch subscription model “Cineville” as a model
Inspiration was provided by the Dutch subscription model “Cineville”, which is also to be launched in Germany in the course of the year. There they want to learn from the Austrian experience. They hope to sell an estimated 3,000 cinema subscriptions in Vienna, but maybe there will be more. “We can see from partner projects in Holland and Belgium that it can also grow very quickly,” says Kitzberger. The monthly subscription should cost 24 euros or 22 euros for under-26s. The proceeds go directly to the cinemas. An annual subscription costs 264 euros and can be taken out online at nonstopkino.at.
