Filmhuis Lumière

Lumière (also known as Filmhuis Lumière or Lumière Cinema) is a non-profit arthouse cinema in Maastricht, the Netherlands. It was founded in 1976 as Stichting Filmhuis Maastricht under the leadership of Joep Schreurs, at a time when film houses were being established in many larger Dutch cities under the impulse of the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The first venue was a 60-seat room above the youth society Kombi at the Capucijnenhof; the first official screening was Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Wildwechsel (1972). From 1983 the theatre received municipal subsidy and Jan Besselink was appointed director. Under his leadership for more than twenty years, the film house professionalised and visitor numbers doubled within two years. In 1985 it moved to a former Capuchin monastery on the Bogaardenstraat, initially with two screens, and adopted the name 'filmtheater Lumière', a reference to the Lumière brothers, pioneers of cinema. The current management consists of Nico Haenen (managing director) and David Deprez (artistic director). Lumière has grown steadily: from 7,000 visitors in 1983 to 16,000 in 1985, 30,000 in 1996, 45,000 in 2004, and more than 100,000 in 2013. A third screen was added in 1996, and in 2004 capacity doubled to 336 seats across six screens. In 2016 the cinema moved to a renovated part of the Timmerfabriek in the Boschstraatkwartier, a national monument that cost approximately 11 million euros to convert. After three weeks of trial operation, the new Lumière opened on 14 October 2016. In 2017, its first full year at the new location, it attracted 142,000 visitors, a rise of about 40% compared to previous years. The upward trend continued: nearly 143,000 visitors in 2018 and 173,000 in 2025. Lumière is a professional cultural organisation with a small paid staff and more than one hundred volunteers. It receives structural subsidy from the municipality of Maastricht and is recognised as a cultural ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling). Since 2013 it has participated in the Cineville pass. The cinema focuses on arthouse films, classics, documentaries, and non-mainstream cinema, screening more than 300 titles and 5,000 performances per year. It is the only premiere film theatre in the province of Limburg. It organises festivals and events such as Filmblik for children, Go Short / Made in Europe, the Open Air film festival in summer, and collaborates with Maastricht University and Cinesud on talent development programmes like Masterplan Filmtalent Limburg. The building also houses a café-restaurant, Grand Café Aan 't Bassin, with views over the water.

Lumière was founded in 1976 as Stichting Filmhuis Maastricht under the leadership of Joep Schreurs. At that time, film houses were being established in almost all larger Dutch cities, driven by the International Film Festival Rotterdam (then called 'Film International'). The motivation was growing dissatisfaction with the offerings of commercial cinemas and the desire to give structural attention to 'better' films. The first Maastricht film house was located above the then youth society Kombi at the Capucijnenhof in a 60-seat room. The first official screening was Wildwechsel (1972) by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. From 1983 the film theatre received municipal subsidy and Jan Besselink was appointed director. Besselink led the film house for more than twenty years and built it into a professional theatre. In two years, visitor numbers doubled. In 1985 the film house moved to a location on the Bogaardenstraat, part of the old Capuchin monastery, initially with two screens. From then on it was called 'filmtheater Lumière', referring to the Lumière brothers, founders of cinema. After his retirement, Jan Besselink was succeeded by the current management: Nico Haenen (managing director) and David Deprez (artistic director). Since its inception, Lumière experienced steady growth in visitor numbers, requiring several expansions of the number of screens: from 7,000 in 1983 to 16,000 in 1985, 30,000 in 1996, 45,000 in 2004, and more than 100,000 visitors in 2013. In 1996 a third screen was added; in 2004 capacity doubled to 336 seats across six screens. Although the building on Bogaardenstraat/Capucijnengang with its intimate film café was experienced as atmospheric, the accommodation became too cramped. There was a need for more capacity, a larger meeting space, and a full-fledged café-restaurant. This was found in a part of the vacant factory buildings of Koninklijke Sphinx, located at the Bassin and Zuidwillemsvaart. The renovation of the national monument, lasting over two years, was delayed because more asbestos was found than expected. Two of the available buildings (the boiler houses) had to be dismantled and rebuilt due to their poor structural condition. The total cost amounted to approximately 11 million euros. Crowdfunding was used to finance the new cinema seats. After three weeks of trial operation, the new Lumière was festively opened on 14 October 2016. In 2017, the first full year at the new location, the film house attracted 142,000 visitors, an increase of about 40% compared to the years before. The upward trend continued: in 2018 nearly 143,000 film lovers visited the theatre; in 2025 that number was 173,000. Lumière Cinema is a professional cultural organisation with a small number of paid staff and more than one hundred volunteers. The foundation receives structural subsidy from the municipality of Maastricht, which benefits numerous extra (educational) activities. Lumière Cinema is recognised by the tax authorities as a cultural ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) with a cultural mission. Since 2013, Cineville is also accepted at Lumière. In collaboration with the Heerlen-based platform for audiovisual media Cinesud, Lumière organises the Masterplan Filmtalent Limburg and Made in Europe, a stage for Euregional film talent. Filmmakers are regularly invited to talk with the audience or give masterclasses for local filmmakers and students of media programmes in the Euregio Maas-Rhine. Guests have included Nanouk Leopold (Boven is het Stil), Joost van Ginkel (170Hz), Nicolas Provost (The Invader), Joachim Lafosse (A perdre la raison) and Hadewych Minis (Borgman). Made in Europe is also host of the Go Short film festival in Maastricht and the film seminar of the MAD faculty in Genk. In addition to its regular programme, Lumière opens its screens for numerous school performances and other educational events. In collaboration with Filmhub Zuid, it also works on the educational offering for schools throughout the Netherlands. Lumière Cinema holds the position of the only premiere film theatre in the province of Limburg. It focuses on arthouse films, also called 'alternative films', which generally attract less audience than 'mainstream' films (such as Hollywood blockbusters). Besides arthouse films, it also screens film classics, films from countries other than the United States or the Netherlands, and documentaries, in total more than 300 titles and 5,000 performances per year. In addition to regular screenings, Lumière organises special activities, festivals and events, often in collaboration with cultural and social organisations. During the children's holidays, Filmblik offers numerous children's films and workshops. Since 2013, the Go Short / Made in Europe festival takes place in April, showing a selection of the latest European short films and promising productions from the Benelux. Lumière also collaborates with Maastricht University in the university's Studium Generale programme. In summer, Lumière organises the Open Air film festival, 11 evenings of watching films under the starry sky. Although the current location of Lumière is referred to in its entirety as 'de Timmerfabriek', it actually concerns a diverse cluster of buildings of the former sanitary...

• 2025

  173,000 visitors.

• 2018

  Nearly 143,000 visitors.

• 2017

  First full year at new location attracts 142,000 visitors, up 40%.

• 2016

  New Lumière opens in Timmerfabriek on 14 October after €11 million renovation.

• 2013

  Cineville accepted; visitors exceed 100,000.

• 2004

  Capacity doubles to 336 seats across six screens; visitors reach 45,000.

• 1996

  Third screen added; visitors reach 30,000.

• 1985

  Moves to Bogaardenstraat in a former Capuchin monastery; renamed filmtheater Lumière.

• 1983

  Receives municipal subsidy; Jan Besselink appointed director.

• 1976

  Founded as Stichting Filmhuis Maastricht under Joep Schreurs.

The only premiere film theatre in Limburg, focused on arthouse, alternative and non-mainstream cinema, with a strong community and educational mission.

• Arthouse film screenings

• Documentaries

• Film classics

• Children's film programmes (Filmblik)

• Film festivals (Go Short / Made in Europe, Open Air)

• Educational programmes

• Café-restaurant (Grand Café Aan 't Bassin)

• Gift vouchers and film arrangements

• Lumière Passie membership

1. 1Home - Lumièrelumiere.nl
2. 2Filmhuis Lumière - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Lumière Cinema - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org