Photo: Jon Åslund

Berlin has almost as many independent cinemas as it does saunas, and, though they’re not as warm as a Finnish hotbox and the nudity is (usually) only on screen, they do offer an extensive and diverse film program to help escape the autumn gloom. While the highlight of the filmgoing season is February’s Berlinale, rarely a week goes by here without a film festival or retrospective being screened somewhere around town. From arthouse & avant garde cinema to B-movies and cult classics there is something to suit every taste and, unlike the sauna, a movie theatre has the distinct advantage of being very, very dark, so no one will notice if you’re still working off those extra helpings of holiday cheer.

If you’re in Berlin and want to get out of the house without worrying about what you are - or aren’t - wearing, start by checking out the programs at these cinemas, where you’ll find most of the films shown in their original language versions, with or without subtitles.