The Cinémathèque française, located in Paris, is an organization dedicated to the seventh art. Schedules, prices, here’s everything you need to know.
The Cinémathèque française is a private French organization dedicated to the seventh art. Created in 1936 by Henri Langois and Georges Franju, the building has been located in Bercy, in the heart of Paris, since 2005. In addition to numerous exhibitions and retrospectives and screenings, the Cinematheque is a mecca for knowledge about world cinema thanks to the 40,000 films and thousands of documents available to the organization. The Cinémathèque’s missions include, among other things, preserving and restoring works, but also contributing to the dissemination of the seventh art.
The Cinémathèque française is open Mondays then Wednesday to Friday, from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., weekends, school holidays and public holidays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. An evening until 9 p.m. is organized on Saturday. The building is closed on Tuesdays. Cinema screenings are organized from Wednesday to Sunday at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The bookstore is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant is also accessible continuously during opening hours. From July 22 to August 27 inclusive, the Cinémathèque is closed.
The public of the Cinémathèque française has the choice between single tickets for one-off visits or a subscription, which allows more frequent access to the exhibitions, screenings and other treasures of the organization. Find the details of each formula below.
Subscriptions to the Cinémathèque française:
There are several subscriptions to the French cinema library. First, the free pass which offers unlimited access to the Cinematheque, invitations to special events and partner offers. The price is €11.90 per month, or €10 per month for those under 26, and €19 per month for two people. However, the commitment lasts one year. There is also the package 6 cinema tickets at €30 to be used freely for screenings at the Cinémathèque française, but also a family movie card at €12, offering discounts for a year: entry to exhibitions is free for under-18s, while cinema tickets cost €3 for under-18s and €5 for adults. Finally, the library card gives access to the archives and numerous documents available at the Cinémathèque française, but also cinema screenings for €5. It costs €34 full price, €20 for students and teachers.
Prices for visiting the French Cinematheque:
It is possible to visit the Cinémathèque française occasionally without a subscription. Ticket prices for the current exhibition are set at €14. At a reduced rate, the price drops to €11, while the tribe pack allows you to have five tickets (two adults, three children) for €35. Prices to visit THE museum Mélies from the Cinematheque are €10, €7.5 at a reduced rate and €5 for under 18s. There film show, at full price, is €7, while people benefiting from the reduced rate can enjoy it for €5.50, under-18s for €4, family cinema card holders for €5 (adults) and €3 (children). Access to the library costs €3.50 and meetings/conferences/film lessons at €5, €4 at reduced rate.
Hygiene rules in force at the Cinémathèque Française
Due to the health crisis linked to the coronavirus, the Cinémathèque française has reopened with strict hygiene measures. Wearing a mask is compulsory for people over 11 years old. It is required to put hydroalcoholic gel at the entrance to the Cinematheque, while signs to organize traffic are put in place, with the aim of respecting physical distancing. Payment by credit card and reservations are preferred for visitors. The locker room remains closed at this time.
The Cinémathèque française is located in Paris. Just go to 51 rue de Bercy to discover the temporary and permanent exhibitions dedicated to the seventh art. If you want to get there by public transport, simply join metro lines 14 or 6, and get off at the Bercy stop. It is also possible to take buses 24, 64 or 87.
In reference to Henri Langlois, Henri is an online film collection service set up by the Cinémathèque française during the year 2020, during confinement. The organization offers rare and little-known films, which it owns and for which it has broadcasting rights, accessible to all. There is no need for a subscription, to discover Henri’s catalog, simply click on this link.