AG Kino - Gilde e.V.

What AG Kino - Gilde e.V. does

AG Kino – Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater e.V. is a German registered nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein, e.V.) headquartered at Rankestraße 31, 10789 Berlin. It serves as the national trade body for commercial arthouse and program cinemas (Programmkinos) across Germany, claiming more than 600 member cinemas in all 16 federal states. Its functional role spans three dimensions: political advocacy for arthouse cinema at federal, state and EU levels; operational support for member operators (consultation, networking, group rates, weekly audience-data exchange); and direct-to-consumer programming such as the Gildepass loyalty card.

The association's product surface is built around four pillars: the Gildepass, a EUR 10/year physical-and-now-digital loyalty pass granting discounted entry to participating cinemas; Kinodoktor, a structured quality-management consulting service piloted over four years with Daniel Charigault and Valeska Hanel and moved into regular operations in July 2026 via a licensing agreement with Cineways; the annual Filmkunstmesse Leipzig (FKM), with the 26th edition scheduled for September 2026; and Cinéfête, a Franco-German school film series. Distribution is direct via membership applications and via the gildepass.de e-commerce shop. There is no proprietary technology platform beyond a standard WordPress website and the Gildepass storefront, and AI/ML capabilities are not evidenced.

The revenue model is subscription-based and twofold: undisclosed membership dues from commercial cinema operators, and Gildepass sales to individual consumers (EUR 10/year), with Kinodoktor consulting margins and Filmkunstmesse event activity as secondary streams. Pricing for membership is not publicly disclosed; the only consumer-facing price point is the Gildepass. The association is led by Managing Director Felix Bruder and Chairman Dr. Christian Bräuer (who also serves as president of CICAE), with a board of five additional Vorstand members. The organization is funded primarily through member contributions and pass sales rather than external equity, and receives project funding from FFA, BKM, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Creative Europe MEDIA.

Name

AG Kino - Gilde e.V.

Legal name

AG Kino – Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater e.V.

Website

https://agkino.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AG Kino – Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater e.V. is the German national trade association for over 600 arthouse and program cinemas, providing political advocacy, the Gildepass loyalty card, the Kinodoktor consulting service, and the Filmkunstmesse Leipzig trade fair.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Commercial cinema operators pay membership fees to join AG Kino - Gilde e.V. The association provides political representation, consulting services, networking opportunities, and access to the Gildepass bonus system as member benefits.
2. Gildepass sales: The Gildepass is sold for 10.00 Euro per year, providing discounted admission to participating member cinemas. Members automatically become 'Fördernde Mitglieder' (supporting members) of the association.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AG Kino – Gilde is a German registered nonprofit trade association representing commercial arthouse cinema operators nationwide. It delivers political advocacy at federal, state, and EU levels, operational consulting services, peer networking, weekly industry data exchange, group rates for insurance and GEMA, and operates the nationwide Gildepass loyalty program for discounted cinema admissions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gildepass: Bundesweites Bonussystem für Arthouse-Kinos - a nationwide bonus system for arthouse cinemas costing €10 per year, offering discounted entry to participating cinemas.
• Kinodoktor
• Filmkunstmesse Leipzig
• Cinéfête

Products and services

• Gildepass
• Kinodoktor
• Cinéfête
• Filmkunstmesse Leipzig
• Berliner Kinowoche
• AG Kino – Gilde Membership Services

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Susanne Mohr (Cinéfête)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Susanne Mohr took over leadership of the Cinéfête school film series from Timo Löhndorf on March 1, 2026. She brings experience from DFF - Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, DAS FILMFEST (Prag), Berlinale, and the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb.
• Kulturstaatsminister Wolfram WeimercoreOthers · 9 October 2025Federal culture minister who officially announced the new Kinoprogrammprämie 'Liebling Kino' with 7 million euros for cinemas showcasing German, European, and artistically ambitious films. Application deadline for 2025 starts in November.
• Cineways (Baltic C UG)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCineways, led by Daniel Charigault, is the exclusive implementation partner for the Kinodoktor consulting program. AG Kino - Gilde signed a licensing agreement with Cineways for the Kinodoktor quality management program. The service includes on-site visits, individual topic development, and online consultations. Costs can be subsidized up to 80% through FFA film funding.
• FFA (Filmförderungsanstalt)coreOthersThe German Federal Film Board provides funding support for cinema operations. Kinodoktor consulting costs can be subsidized up to 80% through FFA as consulting services. FFA also supports the new Kinoprogrammprämie 'Liebling Kino' with 7 million euros.
• BKM (Beauftragter der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien)coreOthersFederal government culture office that provided pilot funding for the Kinodoktor project alongside FFA and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg during the initial development phase.
• Medienboard Berlin-BrandenburgminorOthersRegional film funding body that co-funded the Kinodoktor pilot project alongside BKM and FFA.
• CICAE (International Confederation of Art House Cinemas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAG Kino - Gilde's president Christian Bräuer serves as CICAE president. AG Kino participates in the European Arthouse Cinema Day organized by CICAE, with support from Creative Europe MEDIA, Eurimages, FFA, CNC, and Europa Cinemas.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Film Institute (BFI): UK lead organization for film in the cultural sector, covering film culture, heritage, education, and industry support. While broader in scope than AG Kino, both organizations champion film as cultural expression and run educational/community programs (comparable to AG Kino's Cinéfête).
• UNIC (Union Internationale des Cinémas / International Union of Cinemas): European-wide cinema trade body that represents the broader cinema industry across Europe including exhibitors, distributors, and national associations. Comparable to AG Kino at a higher geographic and category level — both are trade associations advocating for cinema operators, but UNIC covers all of Europe and the full cinema industry rather than just German arthouse.
• NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners): The largest US trade association for cinema exhibitors. Comparable to AG Kino as a national cinema trade association providing political advocacy, member services, and industry events, but operating in the United States at a much larger scale and across all cinema types rather than specializing in arthouse.

Direct peers

• Europa Cinemas: European network supporting arthouse and independent cinemas across the continent, funded by Creative Europe MEDIA. Like AG Kino, it operates as an association/network dedicated to arthouse cinemas and provides labeling, funding access, and programming support — making it a strong international peer in the same niche.
• HDF Kino e.V. The main German cinema trade association representing larger and mainstream cinema operators (Kinoverleih, Kinobetrieb). It is the closest direct peer to AG Kino - Gilde within Germany — both are nonprofit trade associations advocating for cinema operators in political, operational, and commercial matters, but HDF focuses on broader commercial cinemas whereas AG Kino focuses on the arthouse segment.
• CICAE (Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d'Art et d'Essai): International confederation of art house cinemas, of which AG Kino's chairman Dr. Christian Bräuer serves as president. CICAE is the international counterpart and direct peer — both organizations advocate for arthouse cinema operators, organize events like the European Arthouse Cinema Day, and provide consulting/networking to members.

Regional players

• Independent Cinema Office (ICO): UK-based organization supporting independent and arthouse cinemas with programming, training, and audience development. Comparable to AG Kino in mission and services (advocacy, programming support, training), but operating primarily in the UK rather than Germany.

Others

• German Films Service + Marketing GmbH: National information and advisory center for the international distribution of German films. While not a cinema operator association, it shares AG Kino's German film-policy ecosystem and works with the same government bodies (FFA, BKM) — making it an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agkino

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 AG Kino - Gilde e.V.