Cinéma CityClub

What Cinéma CityClub does

Cinéma CityClub is a non-profit association-operated independent cinema and concert venue located in Pully (Canton de Vaud, Switzerland), a few kilometers from Lausanne. Originally opened in 1958 as one of the region's landmark cultural venues at the dawn of the French New Wave, it closed in 2011 and was relaunched the same year by the Association du Cinéma CityClub, which renovated the foyer, bar, and built a stage inside the main 209-seat auditorium to enable live music programming alongside film screenings. The venue screens innovative, award-winning, and international festival films that would otherwise not reach Swiss theaters, complemented by filmmaker encounters (Rencontres), a children's sub-brand (Le P'tit CityClub), a senior-focused program (Ciné-seniors with Pro Senectute Vaud), and intimate concerts and ciné-concerts.

The business is supported by a small paid team of approximately 11 staff handling administration, cinema programming, music programming, communications, and technical operations, augmented by roughly 50 volunteers. Revenue is generated through a mix of unit-priced cinema tickets (15 CHF full / 12 CHF reduced / 10 CHF member / 5 CHF Passculture), multi-entry transferable cards (10-entry at 120 CHF / 5-entry at 60 CHF), annual association memberships (50 CHF standard, 25 CHF under-26, 75 CHF duo), bar and refreshments sales, weekday venue rentals for corporate and private events, and public/philanthropic grants from municipal, cantonal, federal, and foundation sources. Distribution is direct via on-site box office and the third-party Ticketack ticketing platform; marketing is community-driven through newsletters, press relations, and cross-promotional partnerships with Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, Arsenic, La Grange (UNIL), and Pro Senectute Vaud. The cinema is event-driven, programmatically curated, and culturally anchored rather than scale-driven.

Name

Cinéma CityClub

Legal name

Association du Cinéma CityClub

Website

https://cityclubpully.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cinéma CityClub is a non-profit independent cinema and concert venue in Pully (near Lausanne, Switzerland) operating a 209-seat auditorium with curated auteur films, live concerts, filmmaker encounters, and community-driven programming for general, youth, and senior audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Cinema / Cultural Venue

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Screenings & Venue Rentals (Corporate, Parties) (MPADAKAJ), Special Event Screenings & Pop-up Cinemas (MPADAKAE)

Keywords

• Independent cinema operations
• Arthouse film exhibition
• Live concert venue
• Community cinema programming
• Cultural venue services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pully

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Cinema ticket sales: Standard admission fees for film screenings, with tiered pricing for students, seniors, members, and Passculture holders
2. Venue rental: The cinema hall is available for rental for film projections, conferences, debates, association assemblies, corporate receptions, and private events. Available weekdays only.
3. Bar and refreshments: Beverages and snacks sold before screenings including coffees, teas, local beers, wines, lemonades, kombuchas, and light fare
4. Annual membership subscriptions: Annual membership fees providing discounted tickets, event invitations, and partner theater benefits. Ordinary membership 50 CHF/year, Under-26: 25 CHF/year, Duo: 75 CHF/year
5. Multi-entry ticket packages: 10-entry and 5-entry cards sold at discounted rates compared to individual admissions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cinéma CityClub is a non-profit independent single-screen cinema and concert venue located in Pully, Switzerland, operating a 209-seat auditorium equipped with both cinema projection and a stage for live performances. It offers curated film screenings, live concerts, filmmaker encounters, family-oriented programming (Le P'tit CityClub), senior-targeted screenings (Ciné-seniors), venue rental services, and a bar, supported by an annual membership program and public/private funding.

Product overview

Cinéma CityClub operates as a single-site independent cinema offering a unified program of film screenings and cultural events. The portfolio consists of cinema screenings as the core offering, supplemented by specialized programming streams including Le P'tit CityClub (children's/young audience films), Ciné-seniors (senior screenings), music events and concerts, and filmmaker encounters. The venue also offers ancillary services including bar facilities, venue rental, and an association membership program. All offerings share the same physical 200-seat venue, ticketing system, and staff infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Le P'tit CityClub: Children and family cinema programming with special screenings, relaxed sessions, and activities for young audiences.
• Ciné-seniors
• Humus and Wine

Products and services

• Film Screenings
• Live Concerts
• Le P'tit CityClub
• Ciné-seniors
• Filmmaker Encounters
• Venue Rental
• Bar Services
• Annual Membership

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Théâtre Vidy-LausannecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-promotional partnership offering members 2 months free with annual subscription. Ticket holders receive 12 CHF reduced admission at CityClub.
• Arsenic - Centre d'art scénique contemporaincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing 10 CHF per spectacle discount for Arsenic subscribers at CityClub screenings.
• La Grange, Centre Arts et Sciences de l'UNILcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering Grande Faim subscription holders 12 CHF reduced admission at CityClub.
• Pro Senectute VaudcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration for Ciné-seniors program offering special afternoon screenings for seniors at reduced prices with refreshments included.
• Les Cinémas du GrütliminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as partner organization for cross-promotional activities.
• Association RelaxcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for relaxed sensory-friendly screenings (séances Relax) for families with children who have specific needs.
• Loterie romandecoreOthersMajor foundation providing financial support to cultural institutions in French-speaking Switzerland.
• Ville de PullycoreOthersMunicipal government providing public funding support.
• Canton de VaudcoreOthersCantonal government providing public funding support.
• Office fédéral de la CulturecoreOthersSwiss Federal Office of Culture providing federal funding support.
• Fondation Philanthropique Famille SandozcoreOthersPrivate foundation providing philanthropic support.
• Fondation Françoise ChampoudminorOthersPrivate foundation providing philanthropic support.
• Hotels by Fassbind LausanneminorOthersHotel chain providing sponsorship support.
• NestléminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing financial support.
• Fonds Eurimages du Conseil de l'EuropecoreOthersEuropean fund supporting co-production and distribution of European films.
• Ville de VeveyminorOthersNeighboring municipal government providing public funding.
• Atelier KcoreTechnology or IntegrationGraphic design studio providing visual identity and branding services for CityClub. Contact: Alain Kissling.
• Réseau de compétencescoreTechnology or IntegrationWeb development agency responsible for website design and hosting. Contact: Samuel Roy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stadtkino Basel: Long-established independent art-house cinema in Basel with a similar program of festival films, premieres, and special events. Comparable in mission, scale and community/association structure.
• Kino Xenix: Independent alternative cinema in Zürich programming auteur, documentary and repertory films, often combined with filmmaker events and thematic series. Closely mirrors CityClub's curatorial approach in a larger German-speaking market.
• Kellerkino: Independent art-house cinema in Bern with a small-screen, curated auteur program and active community programming. Comparable in scale and curatorial identity to CityClub.
• Cinéma Oblò: Independent non-profit cinema based in Lausanne offering a comparable program of auteur, documentary and repertory film. Operates in the same catchment as CityClub and competes for the same core audience.
• Spoutnik: Independent art-house cinema in Geneva offering auteur films, retrospectives and live events in an intimate single-screen format. Closely comparable venue type and programming philosophy.
• Filmpodium: Zürich-based repertory and art-house cinema operating as a non-profit foundation, offering curated programs and special screenings. Comparable in mission and non-profit governance to CityClub.
• Rex (Bern): Independent cinema in Bern screening auteur and repertory programming with regular special events. Comparable single-screen independent operation in a Swiss regional capital.
• Les Cinémas du Grütli: Independent art-house cinema in Geneva operating a comparable auteur and festival programming model in French-speaking Switzerland. It is also an explicit cross-promotional partner of CityClub, making it a near-perfect functional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Kitag Kino-Theater AG: Major Swiss cinema chain operating multiplexes and selected art-house venues. Useful as a broad industry incumbent reference for exhibition economics and competitive dynamics in the Swiss market.
• Pathé Suisse: Largest commercial cinema operator in Switzerland running multi-screen multiplexes. Not a content peer but a structural benchmark for exhibition scale and the competitive context for independent single-screen operators like CityClub.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CinemaCityClub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cinéma CityClub