Arthaus on YouTube is a Streaming Insider Tip

April 10, 2026, 1:35 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

There are more providers than ever on the German streaming market. But the selection quickly becomes a problem when you have multiple subscriptions and end up paying more. However, those looking for alternatives beyond the usual offerings will find them. For example, on the YouTube channel of Arthaus.

Free Movies on Arthaus YouTube Channel

Attentive film and cinema enthusiasts are already familiar with the yellow-black logo of Arthaus. It is a brand of the well-known film distributor Studiocanal in Germany. The name says it all: The label focuses on true classics or artistically valuable films–you won’t find big blockbusters here.

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This also applies to the Arthaus YouTube channel. Here, interested viewers can discover true gems from film history by renowned directors that they might not know yet. And all of this is completely free and without a subscription requirement.

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A Treasure for True Fans

It should come as no surprise that the offering currently cannot compete with a full-fledged streaming service. Nevertheless, the nearly 50 films from Arthaus are all worth watching.

Included are productions by renowned filmmakers such as Werner Herzog (one of his featured works was also produced by David Lynch), Tim Burton, Pedro Almodóvar, Kathryn Bigelow, or Danny Boyle. The stars include well-known names like Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams (in “Big Eyes”), Paul Dano (“Love & Mercy”), Sean Penn (“Bad Boys”), or Audrey Tautou (“Happy End”).

Everything in German?

The films are mostly available in German. There are only a few exceptions where either only subtitles or only the English audio track is available. Below, we list the exceptions:

Original with German Subtitles

Frank Serpico | The Whistleblower of the NYPD (Documentary)
Bab’Aziz – The Dance of the Wind (Feature film from 2005)
Jagoda in the Supermarket (Berlinale Audience Hit 2003)
The Weight of Water (by Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow)

Only in English

An Inspector Calls (from 1954)
Escape from Laos – Little Dieter Needs To Fly (by Werner Herzog)
Happy End (with Audrey Tautou)

Unlike Netflix or Disney+, the films on the Arthaus YouTube channel don’t disappear quickly. Some titles have been available for four years. However, there is no guarantee for such a long duration. New titles also appear regularly, but there is no fixed date, as Studiocanal explained to us upon TECHBOOK’s inquiry.

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It’s quite possible that film fans will eventually get through the entire playlist. Until then, they can enjoy a diverse selection of both old and contemporary gems. By the way, Arthaus is not the only way to stream movies for free. In addition to the well-known public broadcasters’ media libraries, there is also Wikiflix. We explain what the free streaming service has to offer.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.