The German Federal Film Board (FFA) has amended the eligibility criteria for the second round of the federal government’s „Liebling Kino“ cinema programme grant. The focus is on a new ‘rural cinema factor’, which is intended to give greater consideration in particular to smaller cinemas in municipalities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants.

Cinemas that are included in the bonus calculation will in future receive a A 20 per cent bonus on their visitor points, provided they are located in a municipality with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants. The ‘rural cinema factor’ thus complements the existing ‘screen factor’ and the bonus for special cultural programming.

The limits on the amount of the premiums have also been changed. The The minimum grant will be 3,000 euros per cinema in future. At the same time, the maximum grant will be 125,000 euros per cinema limited. According to the FFA, the aim is to ensure that funding benefits a larger number of cinemas.

These adjustments follow the evaluation of the first round of the „Liebling Kino“ scheme. The basic principle of the cinema programme grant, which was introduced last year, remains unchanged. The changes are intended, in particular, to take greater account of the importance of cinemas in smaller communities and rural areas.

The HDF Cinema welcomed the introduction of the ‘rural cinema factor’. This takes into account the specific circumstances of rural cinemas and their importance for cultural participation and community interaction at a local level.

The new terms and conditions for the 2026 Cinema Programme Award are already available. It is expected that applications will be possible via the FFA service portal from the end of September. A binding list of films is also a prerequisite for the calculation of bonus points. Only the films listed therein can be taken into account for the „Liebling Kino“ scheme.