Looking for films in English in Zürich? You do not need to open a dozen cinema websites every week. English-language screenings from across the city's cinemas are gathered in one place, and the list is updated daily so it keeps pace with the weekly programme.
The short answer
Start here: what is showing in English. It pulls together English-language screenings from cinemas across Zürich, from big multiplexes to small arthouses, and it is refreshed every day. That replaces the old routine of checking each cinema's site one by one and trying to guess which sessions are actually in English.
What do OV and E/d/f mean?
Swiss cinema listings distinguish the spoken language from the subtitle language:
- OV means original version: the film has its original soundtrack. It means English audio only when the original language is English.
- E/d/f means English audio with German (d, Deutsch) and French (f) subtitles. You may also see it written Edf or E/d,f. Uppercase letters identify spoken languages; lowercase letters identify subtitles, as explained in Sterk Cinemas’ language guide.
English subtitles alone do not mean English audio. Everything listed on English Cinema Zürich is shown with English audio. When browsing a cinema’s own website, check the language of the specific screening: its programme may also include films in other languages.
Where to watch, by neighbourhood
Zürich's cinemas are spread across the city, and different areas suit different moods. Here is how the venues we cover line up. Each name links to its page, where you can see what that cinema is currently showing in English.
Old Town and the city centre
Arthouse Movie is at Nägelihof in the Old Town, while Arthouse Le Paris is on Gottfried-Keller-Strasse near Stadelhofen. Filmpodium is the city's repertory cinema for classics and retrospectives, on Nüschelerstrasse between Kaufleuten and Paradeplatz. Its directions page lists nearby tram stops. blue Cinema Capitol is on Weinbergstrasse near the main station, and blue Cinema Corso is by Bellevue.
Zürich-West
Riffraff and blue Cinema Abaton are both in this part of the city. Abaton is on Heinrichstrasse by Hardbrücke.
Around Langstrasse and Stauffacher
Kino Xenix sits near Helvetiaplatz, KINOKONI Zürich (Frame) is up toward the station on Lagerstrasse, and blue Cinema Metropol is by Stauffacher.
Stadelhofen and Seefeld
Arthouse Piccadilly is on Mühlebachstrasse, near Stadelhofen and the northern end of Seefeld.
Kalkbreite and Sihlcity
Houdini Kino/Bar is at the Kalkbreite complex on Badenerstrasse. Further south, Arena Cinemas Sihlcity is inside the Sihlcity shopping and leisure complex.
You can see the full set of venues on the cinemas page.
Filmpodium or a multiplex?
For classics, retrospectives and themed film seasons, start with Filmpodium’s English screenings. Its wider programme covers many languages: films are generally shown in their original version, preferably with German subtitles, but subtitle availability varies. The Filmpodium FAQ explains the exceptions, including German-dubbed children’s films. Check the individual film’s audio language before choosing from its full programme.
For mainstream releases and a choice of cinema formats, compare blue Cinema Abaton’s English screenings. The operator’s Abaton page lists 12 auditoriums and IMAX and 4DX facilities, with a map of its Heinrichstrasse location. A venue offering a format does not mean every film or English session uses it: check the format and language together before booking.
Keeping it simple
The point of all this is that you do not have to track any of it yourself. Rather than opening cinema sites and decoding OV and E/d/f labels each week, check the films page for what is on in English, browse the cinemas we cover, and subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get the highlights in your inbox.
