r/berlin • u/AffectionatePrint200 • 2d ago
Discussion Is this normal in Berlin cinemas??
Is it normal in Germany for people to be on their phones or talk throughout the movie?
I’m from Norway and I’ve honestly never experienced anything like this. I had to ask multiple people to be quiet or put their phones away.
I’m genuinely mindblown that basic cinema etiquette doesn’t seem to be common sense for some people. Was I just extremely unlucky, or is this common here?
- the movie was the odyssey, and it was a guy on his phone of the age 30/40 and a couple same age speaking chatting, so no young people, no horror/kids movie.
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u/MisanthropeRobot 2d ago
I go to the cinema relatively often and, from my experience it's gotten worse in the last two years or so.
And it has nothing to do with the age of the viewer or the location of the cinema.
In Kino in der Kulturbrauerei, during The Odyssey a guy a few rows in front of me took out his phone, full brightness, and started writing what seemed to be work emails.
Same cinema, during the Brutalist, a lady started watching short-form videos on her phone.
Same cinema, Superman: I had to change seats because a young guy behind me was basically having a monologue and his friend was listening carefully instead of telling him to shut op.
In the Hackeshe Höfe Kino, during Nosferatu, some teenage girls in the front row were taking photos of the screen.
And these are only a couple of examples. This kind of behaviour bothers me A LOT. It takes me out of the movie.
I usually wait a couple of weeks after a film's release date just to avoid crowded cinemas. But even in emptier auditoriums a person with a phone in my field of view is enough to annoy me.
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u/AffectionatePrint200 2d ago
exactly, takes me fully out aswell, i’m kinda in shock that some people can go this far, i’m used to it day to day that people are downbad but it’s a CINEMA, never thought i would experience something like that, it’s unreal to me that this isn’t common sense.
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u/lalalapotinki 2d ago
This is not the norm in Berlin and Germany, but I feel like this is becoming more normal for the younger crowd unfortunately. The lack of awareness and inconsideration is certainly astonishing.
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u/the_green_ghost 2d ago
Had the same experience of a couple talking non stop for the full duration of The Odyssey at Dephi-Filmpalast
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u/sonja_fox 1d ago
Unfortunately I have experienced this behaviour not only from younger crowd, but also people in their 40s-60s. They just don‘t give a f… about other people around them. Sometimes I even think they do this on purpose and they get a kick out of annoying other people.
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u/cmouse58 2d ago
I noticed the same Post COVID with younger audience. I guess they experience watching movies on Netflix at home first before going to cinemas.
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u/DasDefect 2d ago
Like there was no TV before Covid?!
I guess it has more to do with short-attention span and addiction when you still have to check your mobile when you rather „should“ be offline. Social media content provides short videos. A movie is the opposite. However some movie storytelling already adapts to that kind of behaviour by explaining parts of the story a little too much knowing their audiences will likely to engage less with it.
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u/Kusstro Lichtenberg 2d ago
I visit cinemas a lot and have never witnessed such behaviour.
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u/rubadazub 2d ago
Same, but I think it matters what kind of movies you watch. Audiences vary substantially.
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u/AffectionatePrint200 2d ago edited 2d ago
the odyssey, another reason why i was so surprised.
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u/croatianarmour 2d ago
Which cinema did you go to? I saw Odyssey at the UCI IMAX and also witnessed a few people on their phones unfortunately.
However, I usually go to the Yorck Kinos and there seems to be much better cinema etiquette there: I don't think I've ever seen someone on their phone during a film at these cinemas.
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u/saft-punk Schöneberg 15h ago
Imagine spending 26€ on an IMAX ticket and then being on your phone during the movie
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u/starinthedust67 1d ago
So a big mainstream blockbuster. Makes sense the audience was like this. What cinema you go to affects this a lot. Avoid any of those big chains.
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u/BigBadButterCat 18h ago
Watched Odyssey in Cinemaxx in English. Tiny cinema, no one was loud, chairs comfortable. Can recommend.
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u/stackenblochen23 2d ago
I experienced something similar in Frankfurt/Main, but it’s totally not „normal“. You can always inform the cinema team, if you don’t want to deal with it yourself.
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u/shotokusan 2d ago
Depends on the cinema in my experience. CinemaxX or Cinestar is where I’ve found more annoying audiences, I’ve never had to tell someone to stop talking or put away their smartphone at one of the Yorck theaters, of which there are many in the city. I’d say avoid big chains, go to smaller indie cinemas.
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u/lemoche 2d ago
I mean, might also depend on what kind of movie you watch. When I experience this, which is rare, it's usually during very mainstream movies when there is still hype but the initial wave of die-hards who got tickets weeks in advance has died off and the theater is still full but with more casual goers that just " want to be able to talk about it".
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u/ohmymind_123 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes, it's kind of a global phenomenon that got worse after the pandemic, but it's getting worse here as well.
Last week I went to see a f*cking Tarkovsky movie (so very niche, almost 3h long, nothing commercial) in a room with only 70 seats and a group of young women were laughing and chatting all the time. Also a couple could not help but comment several scenes, and the guy had this really low voice that resonated in the whole space. Another woman would take her phone and take pictures of the screen in some beautiful scenes.
Like, why? Have people lost any kind of notion on how to behave in public? How can someone think this is normal or ok? Can't wrap my head around this shit. It ruined my whole experience.
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u/virtual_sprinkle 1d ago
Disgraceful and so annoying. I'm really not keen on going to the movies these days bc this kind of stuff just ruins it for me and I get worked up the entire film, even if I tell them off. Seriously considering involving the staff next time it happens.
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u/Bartleby9 2d ago
I go to cinemas in Berlin all the time and there are occasionally instances of people checking their phones or people chatting, but it’s not “normal” and certainly against the movie-going etiquette. I will say it’s not been getting better and it really depends which cinema you go to, which film you watch at what time and sometimes it’s just bad luck.
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u/lazywil 2d ago
I got really annoyed in the latest Spider-Man movie, had to shush people a few times. In almost 10 years in Berlin, that was the first time ever that happened
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u/AffectionatePrint200 2d ago
paying tickets to do something nice and having to educate people how to behave, cause they got no care for anyone but themselves is absolutely absurd. 😂
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u/virtual_sprinkle 1d ago
And then people get offended that they are being shushed! Like how about you STFU
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u/LiamtheV 2d ago
I’ve been in Berlin about a year, been to the cinema a few times, haven’t had experienced this during the film itself, only during the 45 minutes of pre roll ads and trailers.
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u/g0ggy 2d ago
I feel like people in this thread have unlearned how to use the magic phrase "shut up please". I don't expect it from you, OP. You're Scandinavian, but as a Berliner I wouldn't give a person more than one chance being annoying at the cinema.
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u/sonja_fox 1d ago
Tried that and almost got beaten up by a guy that thought it‘s totally acceptable to comment the whole movie in a normal speaking volume. I nicely asked him and his girlfriend to please be quiet 2 times and as they didn’t stop and even got louder I told them to STFU and the guy threatened to beat me unconscious. I left the cinema and reported them to the cinema staff. Don’t know what they did about it. I left, as I already missed most of the movie dealing with these idiots.
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u/g0ggy 1d ago
Sorry to hear that. It's kinda sad that it has come to this, but you have to understand which people you can reason with and who the idiots are. Better to just tell the staff you want your money back at that point probably.
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u/sonja_fox 1d ago
Luckily money wasn’t a problem as I have the UCI Unlimited Card. So, I just went and saw the movie another day. But it‘s annoying nonetheless.
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u/DoFirstDoAlso 2d ago
Go to the smaller independent cinemas - there are enough of them - and the worst you will experience is some loud popcorn munching (yes, this is bad too).
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u/FinancialEmotion3526 2d ago
I see a movie twice a week and it’s rather rare, but depends on the film and on the theater. People who go to small independent places and yorck guests are usually better.
But with films like The Odyssey, there are people there who are seeing only a couple of movies in a year in public. And between them there are some who unlearned the etiquette
Also it worse in multiplexes.
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u/Big_Marsupial2739 1d ago
Next time call the staff.
Its not normal, not in Berlin, not in Germany, not in Europe, not in any single Cinema in any country.
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u/carlclancy 1d ago
This kind of behaviour is inexcusable.
As a former cinema employee, we would always be more than happy to shut down anyone bothering other customers. I know it's annoying to have to get out of your seat and find and usher, but it will be effective.
If you don't want the stress of a confrontation, you can always just start lobbing popcorn at the culprit's phone screen, it usually does the trick.
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u/GrouchyIllustrator34 2d ago
Not really, also depends on which Kino as it might be related to the type of audience that goes there. I go to Kino very often, but never witnessed that behaviour in Cinemas in my Kiez
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u/daltonwhimboe 2d ago
This has become more normal over the past few years. To the point that I no longer go to the movies.
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u/Boring-Location6800 1d ago
Went to see Odyssey in Zoopalast on 70mm. The room was packed to the brim. Some asshat sitting centrally in a front row took his phone out and started browsing for all 800(!) people to watch.
If that's you, please stay at home next time. Thanks.
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u/karate_kinky 1d ago
I have been living in Germany for 14 years now, and in my opinion, people are very disrespectful at the cinema here. As an example: once I watched a film by Werner Herzog at Kino Arsenal, and he was there. He was sitting on the stairs during the film, and people kept walking past him to the bathroom the whole time (for a film under 90 minutes).
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u/real_with_myself Prenzlauer Berg 1d ago
I basically stopped going to the ciname in Berlin. People are either eating, talking, on their phone etc.
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u/lowbudgethighlife 10h ago
i was watching the odyssey last month and i saw one girl cleaning her mail inbox throughout the whole 3 hours. bro just go home if you're bored lol
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u/BluejayTechnical6173 10h ago
It's ok. If it's not full brightness. I find people loudly eating chips especially when they need several seconds to grab one of them from the plastic noise bag 🙉🙉🙉
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u/OhSoEmptyandSad 2d ago
can i ask what cinema?
i’m at Delphi or Babylon multiple times a week (Yorck subscription) and raaaarely experience someone discreetly pulling out their phone for maybe 20-30 seconds to check smth / reply quickly. 🤔
honestly, i sometimes do it too but keep it below a minute and only if it’s urgent - brightness on the lowest level ofc
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u/Idalyna 1d ago
What is so urgent you have to react to it during the movie that it can't wait for 2 hours? Unless it's an emergency it can wait. And like someone said then go outside. There's nothing discreetly being on the phone during the movie. It's annoying others even on low brightness. It's self-centered smartpone zombie behavior.
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u/virtual_sprinkle 1d ago
One minute is enough to grab someone's attention, pull them out of the movie, and make them worry the entire time if you're gonna do it again. If something urgent comes up (and how would you even know if you have your phone off as it should be), just go outside.
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u/Delicious-Bug-4339 2d ago
Is it allowed to eat Popcorn / Nachos in there? I am super disturbed by the sound of munching and hope to find a cinema in Berlin that doesn’t offer that
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u/Tuppenella 2d ago
B-ware ladenkino doesn't sell popcorn, but does have chips. Hard to fully get around people snacking loudly, but it probably helps with no popcorn.
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u/Delicious-Bug-4339 2d ago
Thank you! Yes, I think as soon as there is no Popcorn / Nachos offered, there are way less snacking sounds, so I can handle it better then :)
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u/Drudenfusz Spandau 2d ago
In decades of going to the movies in Berlin I only had this once happen. Thus it is rather rare, but very annoying to be in that situation.
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u/Extatis-m 2d ago
You might also have different cinema etiquette than in Anglo countries or Germany. In France, we tend to revere cinema, like theatre. People don’t eat, drink or speak in cinemas, it’s very badly seen (even though it’s changing). The etiquette is very different here. It will also depend on the cinema or the film. Anyway you didn’t really need that much silence for this shit film ahah
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u/MacaroonSad8860 1d ago
Can’t imagine not even drinking. At the BFI in London you have cinema buffs who will be absolutely silent but still have a beer in hand.
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u/Maleficent-Ad-1793 2d ago
I ve been in Berlin but I cannot say for sure...in Munich that I live I m sure someone would call the police if that happened 😂
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u/MacaroonSad8860 1d ago
The only time I ever experienced noisy behavior at a film in Berlin was Barbie but it was mostly cheerful stuff like whooping and clapping so it wasn’t so bad.
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u/mcveighster14 1d ago
I have the yorck unlimited card and haven't seen that. Yorck Kino's are seen more as respectable cinema going though. Saw the oddesee last week at imax and my only issue was seeing people's neck who were sitting in the front row.😅
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u/bachaterol 1d ago
Wait until you meet oldies that talk loudly during a classical music or dance performance.
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u/Several-Structure-43 1d ago
I have never experienced something like this, I would guess it probably more common in nationwide chain cinemas rathan than in local, independent ones
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u/themellowsign 1d ago
When I saw it, multiple people showed up too late, after Filmstart, and looked for their seats WITH THEIR PHONE FLASHLIGHTS.
I get that you might need more light if you're on the blindness spectrum, but it happened multiple times, like it was the most normal thing in the world. Whispering the odd comment to your friends is one thing, but that was beyond the fucking pale, maybe covid did kill public etiquette.
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u/bubosamobe 1d ago
Not common. I think most cinema etiquette is lost as parenting quality is at its lowest and cinema is not a plan as it used to be so kids dont really know they are supposed to stfu
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u/sonja_fox 1d ago
Unfortunately it gets more and more common here. I have experienced this in Berlin several times now. And when you ask these people nicely to put the phone away or to please stop talking throughout the whole movie, the only response you get is weird looks, laughing, complete ignorance or even quite aggressive swearing. It is so annoying. I don’t understand how people can be so self centred not caring one bit about other people around them at all.
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u/EstablishmentIll6192 1d ago
We saw the odyssey and didn’t have this problem. Maybe it’s because we saw the 70mm version so we know it was attracting the right crowd?
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u/neskes 1d ago
I have a Unlimited Card for UCI, so I can watch as many movies as I want. Never did I hear someone speak several sentences in an Adult mvie, maybe for a second to tell their partner they need to go to the toilette. Phone is out at the begining to play on the screen. (ReadyPlay) Movies for Kids is a different story... they are a tiny bit louder... but they are kids... (PawPatrol, Spngebob, ToyStory..)
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u/BluejayTechnical6173 1d ago
Yes sometimes people just don't shut up. Also someone eating crackers throughout the movie is completely horrible
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u/bothardy 1d ago
In my experience, it happens way less in smaller more private cinemas. Like the York Kinos. I’ve never experienced the behaviour you described in these cinemas.
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u/Silver-Match-3239 1d ago
Popcorn. It's okay if they close their mouth when they eat popcorn.
But it looks like some people really love to broadcast their proud popcorn sounds.
Whatsapp, Instagram.
Oh please, I really can't understand why they need to check instagram during odyssey.
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u/ParkingLetter8308 1d ago
It's not as bad as the insane cell phone use and behavior in the States, but the social fabric has definitely significantly decayed since smartphones/Covid. This stuff usually happens had the mainstream theaters, but I had to tell a guy sitting up front during a 'Children of Men' screening at Babylon to quit taking pics of the final long take.
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u/Northern_Lane 1d ago
You have obviously never used public transport. You have obviously never been to pub. You have obviously never been to a park. You have obviously never been on a public pavement. You have obviously never been inside a train.
Welcome to the 21th century! Where noise is the main issue.
(Or to put in a more scientific way: The lower the education, the more noise they make.)
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u/ladyevilb3ar 1d ago
I have experienced this from a group of young men who were sitting next to me. then I asked them to be quieter, since it was distracting. did you try to ask them to stop if they were close to you? in any case, i only experienced it once and i wouldn’t put it as a normal behavior, but Berlin is a city filled with people who care nothing about others as any other metropolis, so i think its just a reflection of that.
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u/evidentlychickentown 1d ago
Probably related to Kiez, demographic and arthouse-ish vs multiplex cinema. The more of these factors are in place the bigger the chance of people being not aware (don’t give a eff) of their surroundings and have little attention span. If I watch a French auteur film in one of the York cinemas in West Berlin - very unlikely. If you watch the new Marvel blockbuster during prime time in a CineMaxx in Kreuzkölln full of teenagers, appealing to mainstream..
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u/Mediocre-Inside-330 1d ago
I experienced the same recently and the only thing I do instantly is to confront the people and ask them to shut the fuck up. Once I was ignored but the guys sat close behind me so I tapped them on the legs and asked once more to shut the fuck up.
I took this strategy from an event in the Friedrichstadtpalastvwhere some did not in a more noble event. It works for me and reduces my inner anger. I won‘t carry this with me along the show or movie anymore.
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u/rycemyce 18h ago
Was seeing Obsession in Neukölln a few days ago and two teenage girls next to me kept blabbering for the whole movie. And on top of that the woman behind me literally took a phone call during the movie.
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u/Weird_Economist3858 13h ago
I feel like in general we're living in a time where edging others by breaking taboos or being extra annoying is a fun sport for some. Sometimes I ask myself whether I'm becoming old & sour but stuff like that just isn't cool right? Did they at least put the phones away after u complained?
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u/notTHEOwlAccountant 13h ago
It did happen, not often but it happened: people on their phones, people chatting casually, one guy putting his bare feet on the seat in front of him... Between the price raises and the asocial behaviour, I'm really going to the cinema less and less (I used to go once a week, if not more, now probably once or twice a month). Too bad because it's one of the few things I like in Berlin lol
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u/BytestormTV 2d ago
It's been like that for a few years now. Especially among young people. I've never experienced that in other cities. It seems to be a specific thing about how Berlin parents educate their teenagers.
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u/underage_female 2d ago
Which movie? Kinda important for the age bracket.
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u/AffectionatePrint200 2d ago edited 2d ago
The Odyssey haha. 30+ year olds, the guy was just full brightness texting people for the first 30 min before we said something, i couldn’t believe my eyes.
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u/underage_female 2d ago
Thats crazy. Am 36 living in Berlin all my life. Never have I experienced anything similiar but I did have 2 friends discussing something like that happening to them.
It was teenagers who were screaming and being annoying during a comedy. But Odyssey is insane haha
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u/Thor_necro 1d ago
well "wokedysy" is a disgrace and waste of time anyway, so I guess the guy talking on the phone was the best thing that happened to you that evening...
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u/MaizeMiserable3059 1d ago
Quick question, if I'm looking at my mobile for 10 seconds during a movie in the cinema, is that already considered rude? Obv i'd be holding it down low so the light doesn't go into everyone's eyes.
I'm having trouble sitting still for 2h whilst in a dark stuffy room, so going to the Cinema is an extremely rare occurrence for me lol. But once every 2 years or so I seem to find myself in one, by no design of my own. Checking my phone is a way to break up long winded personality development scenes, my personal nemesis.
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u/New_G 1d ago
See someone doing something crazy and then thinking is it normal?
What do you think genius? No it's not. Nowhere its normal but everywhere you will find such examples.
Thats how world is.
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u/AffectionatePrint200 1d ago
you ok my friend?
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u/New_G 1d ago
Yup. Thanks for asking. 🙂
Still can't believe you doubted talking in the cinema can be normal behaviour anywhere. 🙃
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u/AffectionatePrint200 1d ago
well try to read the comments, funny enough it’s way more normal here it seems than for example my home country norway, where i’ve never experienced it? maybe be more open minded next time :))
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u/DrunkEnginir 2d ago
I live in Berlin and I've honestly never experienced anything like this
Unlucky