In Paris even the movie dilettante can learn to focus with this line-up of eccentric cinematic establishments.
Turning their backs on mainstream trends and devoting weekly screening schedules to cult director retrospectives and independent movie festivals, these cinemas provide feasts of classic and art-house cinema, while the shops have everything for the movie buff and student of cinema alike.
Action Écoles
23 Rue des Écoles, 5er.
+33 1 4325 7207.
Not even the B-grade sound system can deter cineastes from Sunday afternoons at this place. If you’re after classics, you’ve found your destination, with the likes of Fellini and Stanley Kubrick back to back guaranteeing movie buffs a quality experience.
Grand Action
5 Rue des Écoles, 5er.
+33 1 4354 4762.
Legendary director John Cassavetes was close pals with this cinema’s owner, or so the story goes, which is why Grand Action remains the Cassavetes specialist in Paris today, screening his films weekly. Woody Allen and Alfred Hitchcock fans are also in for a treat when reviewing the line-up, with a classic mix of flicks catering to the desires of die-hard moviegoers. Don’t miss the discussions in summer, held after the final session on a Saturday night in the nearby cafe square opposite la Sorbonne fountain.
Website
Forum des Images
2 Grande Galerie, Forum des Halles.
+33 1 4476 6200.
Be sure to enter via the Porte Saint-Eustache doors in order to see the best breakdancing in Paris (usually 4pm-9pm) before viewing films by directors such as Luis Buñuel and David Lynch. Targeted at film students, the affordable ticket prices are a bonus, as is the candy bar with bonbons galore. Open daily.
MK2 Beaubourg
50 Rue Rambuteau, 3er.
+33 8 3668 6923.
Hardcore film fanatics frequent this cinema, located opposite the contemporary art hub Centre Pompidou, to indulge in several hours of intense cinematic experiences. With retrospectives comprising works of Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Vincent Gallo, and an extensive assortment of underground documentaries from up-and-coming directors, the line-up rarely features comedy options. This cinema prefers instead to focus on “serious cinema”.
Website
Reflet MÉdicis Logos
3 Rue Chapoillon, 5er.
+33 1 4354 4234.
Film students often gather in droves at this establishment’s pint-sized salle, famous for hosting all-night director retrospectives starting at midnight and ending at dawn (with coffee breaks). Think Lars von Trier, Steven Soderbergh, Roman Polanski, Jim Jarmusch and Yasujiro Ozu as headline attractions. Note: the crème de la crème of French film stars are regulars here (Sofia Coppola, Jean-Marc Barr and Chiara Mastroianni), so try to exercise restraint when the lights come on and you realise who you’ve been sitting next to for the past hour-and-a-half.
Reflections
You’ve seen the film, now succumb to Parisian film appreciation by researching the history behind it. If it’s cineaste booty you’re after, note the following addresses in your list of places to see in order to believe.
Ciné Reflet
14 Rue Serpente, 6er.
+33 1 4046 0272.
Picture a movie junkyard filled with postcards in categorised photo albums, soundtracks, assorted memorabilia, vintage magazines, hard-to-find French DVD/VHS titles, biographies and vintage film posters. Arguably the most devoted source of cinematic appreciation on French soil.
Librairie Scaramouche
161 Rue Saint-Martin, 3er.
+33 1 4887 7858.
Anything and everything you ever wanted to know about the French New Wave movement can be found here. In addition to an extensive selection of vintage posters, this store’s first-rate assortment of books and movie paraphernalia is complemented by the eccentric owner, who recounts his meetings with directors Louis Malle, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda and others on request.
Aux Films du Temps
8 Rue Saint-Martin, 4er, Paris, France.
+33 1 4271 9348.
Vintage film stills and publicity photographs dating back to the 1930s have experienced a surge in popularity of late. Enter Aux Films du Temps, a charming establishment chock-a-block with quirky images, cult posters, director biographies, independent scripts and classic postcards.
Source: Qantas The Australian Way December 2007
Updated: August 2008