Film

Frei and easy

From giant classics, to the newest selections from fringe film festivals, Berlin's open air cinemas are offering plenty of candy for cinema gluttons this summer.

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As the summer moves into hopefully balmy gear, the open air season spreads its picnic blanket in earnest across the city – the early bird cinemas screening since May widen their programmes, while the heel-draggers finally crank up their projectors.

Already in full swing is stalwart Freiluftkino Kreuzberg, which continues a solid lineup of popular offbeat offerings, from backhanded Berlin love letter Oh Boy! (Jun 19, also at Freiluftkino Friedrichshain Jun 21) to another swing at gonzo Oscar-sweeper Birdman (Jun 27). Those with confidence in their German sub-reading can take on twisted multi-yarn Argentinian gem Wild Tales (Jun 25) or the dreamlike and darkly funny Swedish tale of worn out novelty peddlers, A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Jun 30), both with German subtitles.

Volkspark Hasenheide’s OV offering is wider than ever this year. Brendan Gleeson’ stoicism in pitch-black tragicomedy Calvary (Jun 23) puts a little chill in the (intermittent) summer swelter – if necessary, restore your chirpiness with the sheer feel-good factor of Pride‘s unlikely LGBT/coal-miner alliance (Jun 25).

Central Kino pleases as ever with a lineup of classics: those in need of summer style inspiration need look no further than Bonnie and Clyde’s sharp-dressed, ill-fated romance (Jun 19) or Hitchcock’s most sun-soaked thriller To Catch A Thief (Jun 22). For something a little easier on narrative, musical duo Tronthaim perform a live rescoring, wrapping swooning city panorama Berlin: Symphony of a Capital City (Jun 26) in lively electronica deliciously incongruous with the bustling 1927 visuals.

Normally perambulatory Mobile Kino comes to partial roost for the summer at Urban Spree and Griessmühle with a mix of classic and offbeat docs. Blade Runner: The Final Cut screens at the latter on Jun 24, and urban explorers might appreciate Achterbahn‘s screening at Insel Berlin (Jun 25) – chart the chaos of a would-be funfair honcho just next door to the elegantly disintegrating amusement park he hoped to resurrect.

OPEN AIR CINEMA | Various locations; for all films, dates and times, check the OV search engine.