Haifa Cinematheque

What Haifa Cinematheque does

Haifa Cinematheque (סינמטק חיפה) is the municipal cinema center of Haifa, Israel, founded in 1970 and operated as a division of אתו"ס (Ethos – Haifa Arts Culture and Sports Company Ltd.), a non-profit municipal organization (חל"צ) controlled by the Haifa Municipality. The cinematheque screens hundreds of films annually, including regular monthly programming, retrospectives, festivals (notably the Haifa Film Festival and DocAviv documentary selections), themed cultural series (ARIA Opera in Cinema, Cinema Italia, Israeli Cinema, Aperture 17 art film festival), pre-release previews, filmmaker encounters, and hybrid live-music/cinema events branded as "Rock Cinema Live" (רוקולנוע). It operates across three screening venues: the main cinematheque at Shabd' HaNassi 142 in Merkaz HaCarmel, Rappaport Hall at Shabd' HaNassi 138, and the accessible Krieger Center at Eliyahu HaKham 6, with administrative offices co-located at the Ethos parent offices on Rehov Mahanaim 7.

The organization is staffed by a small team of 5 employees — including Cinematheque Manager Yaron Shamir, Artistic Director Nogit Altshuler, Office Manager Orly Levi, Education Department head Hadar Shoshani, and Media/Design lead Einat Rodman. Its technology stack consists of a web-based ticketing and calendar management system integrated with the Smarticket platform, supporting online ticket purchasing, member login, seat selection, email ticket delivery, and a subscription management module. Distribution channels include physical box office, phone ordering via *9300, and the Smarticket e-commerce platform.

The business model combines annual subscription memberships (350 ₪ student/soldier; 480 ₪ senior; 600 ₪ individual or couple student; 1,000 ₪ couple), individual ticket sales (35 ₪ regular; 30 ₪ discounted for students, soldiers, seniors, and disabled patrons), and pre-purchased ticket bundles (4-film at 125 ₪; 10-film at 250 ₪). Subscribers receive free entry to regular monthly screenings, discounts on special events, and priority booking 6 days in advance. The customer base spans film enthusiasts, university students, senior citizens, and accessibility-focused patrons within the Haifa region, with marketing conducted through Facebook, YouTube, email newsletters, and the organization website.

Name

Haifa Cinematheque

Legal name

אתו"ס - החברה לאומנות תרבות וספורט חיפה בע"מ (חל"צ)

Website

https://haifacin.co.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Haifa Cinematheque is the municipal cinema center of Haifa, Israel, screening hundreds of films annually across multiple venues as part of the Ethos municipal cultural company. It serves film enthusiasts, students, seniors, and disabled patrons through memberships, ticket bundles, and individual ticket sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Cinema and Film Programming Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB), Special Event Screenings & Pop-up Cinemas (MPADAKAE), Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Art house cinema
• Film festival programming
• Cinema subscriptions
• Movie ticket sales
• Filmmaker events

Headquarters

HQ city

Haifa

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Annual membership program providing unlimited entry to regular monthly screenings and discounts on special events. Multiple tier options for individuals, couples, seniors, and students.
2. Individual Ticket Sales: Single ticket purchases for individual film screenings at standard and discounted rates for students, seniors, and disabled patrons.
3. Ticket Booklets: Pre-purchased bundles of 4 or 10 tickets at discounted rates compared to individual purchase pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Haifa Cinematheque operates a multi-venue municipal cinema center in Haifa, Israel, screening hundreds of curated local and international films annually. Its core services include regular monthly film programming, special themed festivals (ARIA Opera, Cinema Italia, Aperture 17), pre-release screenings, filmmaker meet-and-greets, music-cinema hybrid events (Rock Cinema Live), and ticket packages supported by annual memberships and ticket bundles.

Product overview

Haifa Cinematheque operates as the municipal cinema center of Haifa, managed by אתו"ס (the Arts, Culture and Sports Company of Haifa). The organization offers a comprehensive cinema experience centered around its main cinematheque venue and the Rappaport Hall. Core offerings include regular and pre-release film screenings, creator meet-and-greets, and rock cinema live events. The business model is supported by subscription memberships (valid for 12 months), ticket bundles (4 or 10 films), and individual ticket sales. Special programs encompass themed festivals, opera screenings, Israeli cinema retrospectives, and family-friendly screenings. The cinematheque is accessible to persons with disabilities and operates a dedicated subscriber ticketing system with priority booking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Haifa Cinematheque (סינמטק חיפה) - Main Venue and Cinema Screenings The principal screening venue of Haifa Cinematheque, located at Sderot HaNassi 142, Merkaz HaCarmel, hosting regular film screenings, special programs, festivals, and cultural events for the Haifa community and visitors.
• Annual Subscription Program (מנוי הסינמטק) Annual membership program offering subscribers free entry to all regular monthly programming, discounts on special events and pre-release screenings, and priority booking privileges starting six days before screenings. Multiple tiers available (Regular, Couple, Senior, Student/Soldier) priced from 350 to 1000 ILS per year.
• Ticket Bundles (כרטיסיות) Pre-purchased bundles of 4 tickets (125 ILS) or 10 tickets (250 ILS) offering discounted rates versus individual ticket purchase; valid for use across regular programming.
• Rock Cinema Live (רוקולנוע) Live music-cinema hybrid events combining tribute concerts and live performances with film screenings, including tribute performances such as the Tsvika Pick tribute show.
• Pre-Release Screenings (טרום בכורה) Special advance/preview screenings of upcoming films before their general theatrical release in Israel, often paired with filmmaker discussions and Q&A sessions.
• Creator Meetings (מפגשים עם יוצרים) Post-screening events featuring discussions, lectures, and Q&A sessions with filmmakers, directors, and industry professionals visiting Haifa.
• Special Programs (תכניות מיוחדות) Curated thematic screening series encompassing ARIA Opera in Cinema, Israeli Cinema day, Cinema Italia festival, Aperture 17 art film festival, literature-meets-cinema series, family films, documentary festivals, and other cultural celebrations.
• Rappaport Hall (אולם רפפורט) A secondary screening venue at Sderot HaNassi 138 used by Haifa Cinematheque for additional film screenings and events, rented on days when primary activities are not taking place.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free entry to all monthly screenings with membership
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Haifa Municipality (עיריית חיפה)minorOthersMunicipal partner organization linked in footer - the city government supports cultural activities in Haifa
• Haifa Tourism Association (העמותה לתיירות חיפה)minorOthersTourism promotion organization - cultural tourism partner
• Ethos - Arts, Culture and Sports Company of Haifa (אתו"ס - החברה לאומנות תרבות וספורט חיפה)coreOthersParent company - the cinematheque is an integral part of Ethos, operating dozens of cultural, music, and sports facilities throughout Haifa for over 50 years

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Haifa Film Festival: Haifa's primary annual film festival under the same broader Haifa Film Foundation / municipal cultural ecosystem. Shares audience overlap and brand association with Haifa Cinematheque, often serving as a programming partner and content showcase channel.
• DocAviv Festival: Israel's leading documentary film festival, with whose award-winning films the cinematheque is closely associated. Functions as a programming partner and content pipeline for Haifa Cinematheque's documentary festival programming, providing festival-circuit content supply.
• Cinematheque Haifa Parent (אתו"ס): Parent municipal cultural company that operates the cinematheque and dozens of other arts, culture, and sports facilities in Haifa. While not a competitor, its broader portfolio of cultural programming provides structural and operational context comparable to other municipal cultural umbrella organizations.

Broad incumbents

• BFI Southbank (British Film Institute): One of the world's leading cinematheques and film cultural institutions, offering curated retrospectives, festivals, and filmmaker events. Provides a benchmark for institutional-scale programming depth and audience engagement, even though it operates at materially greater scale.
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Film Program: Major museum-affiliated film exhibition program offering curated retrospectives, festival presentations, and filmmaker events. Comparable in its nonprofit/curatorial screening model, though operating within a much larger cultural institution footprint.

Direct peers

• IFC Center: Independent New York art-house cinema showcasing curated indie, international, and repertory films. Comparable as a multi-screen nonprofit/specialty exhibition venue that competes with mainstream theaters through differentiated programming and special events.
• Tel Aviv Cinematheque (Cinematheque Tel Aviv): Israel's flagship cinematheque, operating curated film programming, festivals, and filmmaker events in Tel Aviv. Functions under a similar nonprofit model with membership and ticket revenue, providing a direct head-to-head competitive benchmark in Israel's cultural cinema market.
• Film Forum: Independent nonprofit cinema in New York City showing curated independent, international, and repertory film programming with filmmaker Q&As. Operates under a comparable nonprofit single-screen model with subscription and ticket revenue, making it a strong international structural comparable.
• Jerusalem Cinematheque: Israel's other major municipal cinematheque, also offering curated art-house, international, and Israeli film programming with filmmaker encounters and festivals. Operates as a similar nonprofit cultural institution under the Jerusalem Foundation, serving as the most direct comparable venue in Israel.

Regional players

• Sderot Cinema (Khan Cinema / other regional Israeli art-houses): Other Israeli regional cultural cinema venues that screen curated, non-mainstream programming to local audiences. These venues share the nonprofit/community-cinema model but typically operate in different geographies with smaller footprints.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4mXNe_bTScXK-86HhNC5UA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Haifacin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haifa-cinematheque

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Haifa Cinematheque