At the gala of the 36th Hessian Film and Cinema Award in the Alte Oper Frankfurt on October 17, 2025, the Wiesbaden Caligari FilmBühne was awarded the Hessian Cinema Award.

The Hessian Cinema Award honors extraordinary achievements and outstanding cultural commitment by arthouse cinemas and art house theaters. The Wiesbaden Murnau Filmtheater, Filmforum Höchst (Frankfurt), Filmkreis - Das Unikino in Darmstadt, Kommunales Kino Weiterstadt, naxos.Kino (Frankfurt), Kino 35 (Fulda), Kiezkino (Kassel), Kino des Deutschen Filmmuseums (Frankfurt), and Eschborn K were also honored.

The Hessian Film and Cinema Prizes have been awarded annually by the state of Hesse since 1990 as promotional prizes and awards for filmmakers and cinema operators. The prizes are awarded by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Art. The listed Caligari FilmBühne on Marktplatz is run by the Wiesbaden Cultural Office. The program at the Caligari is organized by the Cultural Office together with the DFF - Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, the Wiesbadener Kinofestival e.V. association, the Medienzentrum Wiesbaden e.V. and many other cooperation partners.

The Caligari FilmBühne was awarded the Kinopreis of the Kinematheksverbund in Berlin on October 25, 2025.
The award recognizes cinemas and film culture initiatives that contribute to the diversity of cinema culture with creativity, passion and film historical expertise. Prize money totaling 30,000 euros was awarded.
The Caligari was awarded second prize in the "Cinema that looks back" category. The jury praised the municipal cinema for "keeping film history alive alongside current cinematic art". The regular silent film screenings, which the Caligari presents once a month with live music, were particularly highlighted. The jury cited the screening of the industrial classic "Sprengbagger 1010" (1929) in cooperation with Chamber Music e.V. as exemplary, showing how historical films can gain new radiance through creative mediation. Retrospectives - for example on the occasion of anniversaries of important filmmakers - also complement the program.

The Kinematheksverbund Cinema Prize is awarded by the Deutsche Kinemathek and supported by special funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

Head of Cultural Affairs Dr. Hendrik Schmehl emphasizes the importance of the awards: "The Caligari stands for a cinema that inspires and connects. It shows how film history remains alive when it is conveyed with enthusiasm, expertise and passion. I would like to thank the dedicated team at the Department of Culture and the many partners who make this extraordinary program possible."

The listed Caligari FilmBühne on Marktplatz is run by the Wiesbaden Department of Culture. Together with the DFF - Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, the Wiesbadener Kinofestival e.V. association, the Medienzentrum Wiesbaden e.V. and other partners, a diverse program is created that combines international film culture, film history series and festivals.

• Increasing the diversity of European films in cinemas, especially European, non-national films.
• Promotion of European initiatives by cinema operators for the benefit of young audiences.
• Development of a cinema network that enables joint activities at national and European level.

The cinemas included in the network will receive financial support.