In 1958, cinema operator Willi Goldermann opened his most modern movie theater in Düsseldorf, the SAVOY. Equipped with 70mm Todd AO, a 165 square meter curved screen and 6-channel magnetic sound, this was one of the few cinemas in Germany with this technology, which is still unsurpassed today. A few weeks later, the second movie theater in the basement was opened: the Atelier im Savoy. The concept was to turn this 250-seat cinema into Düsseldorf's first art-house movie theater.
One year after its opening, the Atelier was accepted into the Guild of German Art Cinemas - where it is still a member today (and is now a member again). A fixed monthly program was printed with fixed dates (arthouse cinema!), the films were selected: Filmmakers were frequent guests, such as Francois Truffaut and Jean-Pierre Leaud for the premiere of their film “They Kissed and They Slapped Him”. Alfred Hitchcock came to the premiere of “The Birds”, Volker Schlöndorff to “The Tin Drum”. The young German film of the 1960s also had its permanent screening venue here!
With the advent of multiplexes, the Savoy had to close its doors in 1999. However, Düsseldorf concert promoter Dr. Stefan Jürging took over the cinema and shortly afterwards reopened it as a cabaret venue. Despite all resistance, the studio reopened in September 2006 with “Perfume”, more beautiful than ever!
