Leokino + Cinematograph

Leokino + Cinematograph is a two-venue arthouse cinema operation in Innsbruck, Austria, run by the Otto Preminger Institut (OPI), a non-profit association for audiovisual media design founded in 1972 by students at the University of Innsbruck. The two cinemas — Leokino, in the western part of the city centre, and Cinematograph, near the main railway station on Museumstraße — are the most important venues for alternative, non-mainstream cinema in western Austria. The operation is named after Otto Preminger, the exiled Austrian-born Hollywood director (1905–1986). The Leokino itself comprises two auditoriums with a total of 285 seats and has been part of the LEOKINO + CINEMATOGRAPH cinema operation since 1998/99. Its roots reach back to the early 20th-century Catholic workers' movement in Tyrol: the building began as a 1901 association hall for the Catholic Workers' Association for Innsbruck (KAVI), named after Pope Leo XIII. After being seized during the Nazi annexation of Austria and restored after 1945, it was converted into a cinema in 1956 with 458 seats. In 1978 it was leased by the operator of the Metropol cinema, and in 1998/99 it was restored and adapted for modern cinema operation. Today the Leokino + Cinematograph positions itself explicitly against the mainstream: it shows films from around the world, including local stories, in their original languages with subtitles, and treats cinema as a cultural good rather than a consumer product. It offers no popcorn and rarely blockbusters. As the only cinema in Tyrol, it strives to screen films in their original formats, supporting 16mm, 35mm and even 70mm film as well as Digital Cinema 4K, with magnetic, optical or digital sound. It stages live silent-film accompaniment and curated supporting programmes. Alongside Vienna's Gartenbaukino, the Leokino is one of only two cinemas in Austria still capable of projecting 70mm analog film. The OPI also runs a film distribution arm, founded in 1989, and has published a monthly programme newspaper since 1974 — originally the Cinematographisches Calendarium, renamed Cinematograph in 1995 and Leokino Cinematograph after the Leokino reopened. The cinemas host festivals and special series including the International Film Festival Innsbruck (IFFI), the Diagonale, the Diametrale Film Festival, Queerfilmnacht, Strick-Kino, World Wide Western, and Open Air Kino im Zeughaus. The operation is led by managing directors Tanja Helm (programming) and Doris Lanzanasto (finance).

The Leokino + Cinematograph operation is run by the Otto Preminger Institut (OPI), a non-profit association for audiovisual media design founded in 1972 by students at the University of Innsbruck and named after the exiled Austrian-born Hollywood director Otto Preminger (1905–1986). Between 1972 and 1984 the OPI used changing venues, including the Olympiakino in the Höttinger Au and a hall on Innrain until its official closure in 1980. A backyard building on Schöpfstraße in the Wilten district was then converted into a cinema hall with about 48 seats, opening in 1981. In 1984 the current Cinematograph venue on Museumstraße, near the main railway station, opened. The OPI's film distribution arm was founded in 1989. From 1992 to 1995 the Cinematograph hosted the America Film Festival, created in the wake of the international celebrations of the 1992 Columbus quincentenary to bring largely unknown, especially Latin American, films to Innsbruck and Tyrolean audiences; in 1995 it was renamed the International Film Festival Innsbruck. Since 1994 a large part of the programme of the Diagonale, Austria's most important film festival after the Viennale, has been shown annually at the Cinematograph. The Leokino itself was adapted in 1998/1999 in the western part of Innsbruck's city centre with two auditoriums and has since been operated by the OPI as well. Its roots go back to the beginnings of the Catholic workers' movement in Tyrol around the turn of the 20th century. It was originally a 1901 association hall for the various sections of the Catholic Workers' Association for Innsbruck (KAVI), named after Pope Leo XIII, who had laid the foundations of modern Catholic social teaching with his social encyclical. After Austria's annexation by Nazi Germany, KAVI's assets were seized, including the Leosaal. After 1945 the property, heavily damaged by aerial bombs and looters, was returned to KAVI after negotiations. The idea arose to turn the association hall into a cinema, which opened in 1956 with 458 seats, operated by KAVI. In 1978 it was leased by the operator of the Metropol cinema, one of the largest cinemas in Innsbruck. In 1998/1999 the cinema was restored and adapted for modern cinema operation. The Leokino is one of only two cinemas in Austria — alongside Vienna's Gartenbaukino — still able to project 70mm analog film. Since 1974 the OPI has published a monthly programme newspaper to inform audiences about current film events. It appeared between 1974 and 1994 as the Cinematographisches Calendarium, a black-and-white folded sheet usually 5 to 10 pages long. In 1995 the title was changed to Cinematograph, published under that name from issue 1/1995 to 5/1999. With the reopening of the Leokino it was renamed again to Leokino Cinematograph, and from that issue onward it was printed in two colours.

• 1999

  The programme newspaper is renamed Leokino Cinematograph and printed in two colours.

• 1998

  The Leokino is restored and adapted with two auditoriums; it joins the OPI cinema operation.

• 1995

  The America Film Festival is renamed International Film Festival Innsbruck; the programme newspaper is renamed Cinematograph.

• 1994

  The Cinematograph begins annually hosting a large part of the Diagonale programme.

• 1992

  The America Film Festival is launched at the Cinematograph.

• 1989

  OPI's film distribution arm is founded.

• 1984

  The current Cinematograph venue on Museumstraße near the main railway station opens.

• 1981

  A converted backyard building on Schöpfstraße in Wilten opens as a cinema with about 48 seats.

• 1978

  The Leokino is leased by the operator of the Metropol cinema.

• 1974

  OPI begins publishing a monthly programme newspaper, the Cinematographisches Calendarium.

• 1972

  Otto Preminger Institut (OPI) founded by students of the University of Innsbruck.

• 1956

  The association hall is converted into a cinema with 458 seats, operated by KAVI.

• 1901

  Association hall for the Catholic Workers' Association for Innsbruck (KAVI) opens, named after Pope Leo XIII.

Non-profit arthouse cinema treating film as a cultural good, not a consumer product; dedicated to original-language, original-format screenings and curated programming.

• Leokino

  Two auditoriums with a total of 285 seats in Innsbruck's western city centre.

• Cinematograph

  Venue on Museumstraße near the main railway station, hosting festivals and Diagonale screenings.

• Open Air Kino im Zeughaus

  Open-air cinema at Zeughausgasse 1, Innsbruck.

• Film distribution

  OPI's film distribution arm, founded in 1989.

• Programme newspaper

  Monthly publication since 1974, now Leokino Cinematograph.

1. 1LEOKINO + CINEMATOGRAPH official websiteleokino.at
2. 2Leitbild & Geschichte - Leokino + Cinematograph Innsbruckleokino.at
3. 3Jobs - Leokino + Cinematograph Innsbruckleokino.at
4. 4Unser Team - Leokino + Cinematograph Innsbruckleokino.at
5. 5Leokino - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Leokino Cinematograph - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org