Skeppet Becomes a Festival Cinema

Food & Drinks in the Auditorium | Music Non Stop | Midnight Mania | DocBar | Short Film Lunch | Meet the Filmmakers

While Hagabion undergoes a major renovation, Skeppet is transforming into one of the festival's cinemas—where you can also enjoy a drink during the screening.

Located at Stigbergstorget, Skeppet GBG has become one of Gothenburg's go-to venues for live music, great food and social gatherings. When Göteborg Film Festival takes over, the programme will feature parties and concerts as part of Music Non Stop, conversations at DocBar, Short Film Lunches almost every day, and screenings from the Midnight Mania programme—cinema, beer and blood. Alongside these events, the venue will also host regular festival screenings, many accompanied by filmmaker introductions or Q&As.

At Skeppet, you're welcome to enjoy a drink during the screening, while both the restaurant and the enchanting upstairs cinema serve food throughout the day. The building is filled with the aromas of excellent food and the unmistakable charm of 1950s design.

This isn't the first time films have been shown at Skeppet, formerly known as the Seamen's Church. In the past, it was common for community halls to double as cinemas. An archive card from Uniphon, the company that serviced cinemas across Sweden, contains a note dated 31 January 1966, written by engineer N. Ström, documenting an upgrade of the cinema to the CinemaScope format. We've yet to discover exactly when the very first projector was installed.

A vintage 35mm projector still remains in the auditorium, although it won't be used during the festival. Instead, we've installed the digital projector that previously served the festival's former cinema at Folkteatern (and, for those who remember, occasionally the Festival Tent). After the festival, the projector will remain at Skeppet, making it possible for others to continue screening films in true cinema quality in these historic and atmospheric surroundings.

During Göteborg Film Festival, Skeppet offers seating for 130 guests, including 15 balcony seats. The venue uses Skeppet's original cinema chairs. We recommend arriving early to give yourself time to visit the bar before the screening begins.