The cinema industry in Germany continues to face a major challenge: many people no longer go to the cinema. At the same time, a recent study by the German Federal Film Board (FFA) shows that the audience has by no means been lost. A significant proportion of non-cinema-goers are fundamentally open to the cinema experience – a potential that the industry can actively capitalise on.

The FFA study „Why audiences are staying away from the cinema – A qualitative study of the reasons and potential“ examines the reasons behind the decline in cinema attendance and, on that basis, develops recommendations for the industry.

69 per cent haven’t been to the cinema – but not all are lost

The starting point is challenging: in 2025, only around 31 per cent of the population aged ten and over living in Germany went to the cinema at least once. Put another way, this means that 69 per cent did not go to the cinema.

However, the study shows that this group must be viewed in a nuanced way. Whilst some have no interest in the cinema at all, there is a large group that remains open to going to the cinema. According to the FFA, around 39 per cent of non-cinema-goers are generally willing to go to the cinema.

This finding is particularly relevant for younger target groups. Among 20- to 39-year-olds in particular – whose cinema reach has declined significantly in recent years – there continues to be a high level of interest in the big screen. The challenge, therefore, lies not so much in generating new interest, but rather in reawakening existing interest.

Streaming, convenience and changing habits as the biggest challenges

The study identifies several social trends that are putting pressure on the cinema industry.

The growing dominance of digital services plays a key role. Streaming services allow access to content at any time and have changed audiences’ expectations. At the same time, for many people, their own homes have increasingly become the place where they enjoy entertainment.

There are also economic factors to consider: going to the cinema involves not only the cost of a ticket, but also time and organisational planning. At a time when many people are managing their budgets more carefully, the added value of a trip to the cinema needs to be more clearly apparent.

The FFA sees further challenges in the increasing fragmentation of attention and in rising expectations for unique experiences.

Cinema needs to be positioned more strongly as an experience

The study’s recommendations for action focus less on entirely new concepts and more on the consistent further development of approaches that have already proved successful. Cinema must be understood more as a communal and emotional experience that differs from the home consumption of digital content.

These include, amongst other things, reaching out more effectively to different target groups, organising more appealing events and better communicating the unique value of going to the cinema.

The study makes it clear that the future of the cinema does not depend solely on individual blockbusters. The key factor will be how well the industry can rekindle people’s enthusiasm for going out to enjoy a film together outside their own homes.

Conclusion: The audience hasn’t gone anywhere

The FFA analysis conveys an important message for the German film industry: the cinema continues to hold emotional significance – but it must make this significance more visible.

The large group of potential non-cinema-goers shows that the trend does not necessarily have to lead to a permanent loss of reach. This presents cinemas, distributors and producers with a clear task: they must convert this existing interest into actual cinema visits.