Category Archives: Film in Paris

Graduate Profile: Journalist Sinéad McCausland

In the latest edition of our Graduate Profile series, we are pleased to introduce an alumna who remained in Paris after her studies. Since graduating from the University of Kent’s MA in Film Studies, Sinéad McCausland works as a journalist for France’s newspaper of record, Le Monde, in addition to producing written and video work for various media platforms.

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?

I was born and brought up in South Wales. A draw to cities is what originally brought me to Paris. Having spent my childhood in rural towns, cities became hubs of art, culture, connection, opportunity, change – everything I wanted to be a part of. Truthfully, I could’ve ended up in any city, but, fully immersed in my French New Wave obsession when I made the decision to leave, I think it was only natural that Paris was the place I ended up.

What attracted you most about studying with Kent in Paris?

The fact the courses offered were in English was number one. Moving to a new country is tough, and not speaking the language is even tougher, so this was my primary concern. I remember being drawn to the Film modules Kent in Paris offered thanks to the scope of what was taught, from the beginnings of cinema in France through to the New Wave, and Kent in Paris’ interdisciplinary approach to learning. Being given the opportunity to study and sit in on art history and creative writing classes was a big plus.

What were some of the highlights from the course?

Being given introductory tours to the Cinémathèque Française and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France were definitely highlights. What stands out most from the course is how well each professor incorporated Paris into their classes. I think we spent more time outside of the classroom than inside it, exploring the city and its people in relation what we were learning – there was even one class [covering psychogeography] where we were encouraged to take our shoes and socks off and walk around the 6th arrondissement barefoot (I did). And working and socializing in the beautiful Reid Hall building, which I still visit regularly, is something I’d encourage all students to take advantage of while doing their programme.

How did your Master’s programme at Kent in Paris help with your career prospects?

My Master’s at Kent in Paris was invaluable. Thanks to the opportunities the programme gave me, I began an internship with Columbia University’s Paris Global Center, which then turned into a full-time position, meaning I could stay in Paris. I subsequently learned French and embarked on my career as a journalist, working for France 24, Agence France-Presse, and Le Monde.

What is your current role and how did it come about?

I’m currently a video and text journalist for Le Monde in English, the newspaper’s digital English-language version launched in 2022. I was originally a pigiste, a special freelancer status granted to journalists, for Agence France-Presse’s video service and France 24’s 24 hours news channel before joining Le Monde.

What are the most rewarding and the most challenging aspects about your current role?

While there are a lot of them, the rewards far outweigh the challenges in journalism. I appreciate that a key part of my job involves staying informed on events, big and small, happening around the world, from the war in Ukraine to the Iranian protests, and so on. Still, it’s hard to switch off – the newsroom is addictive. But the best thing about journalism is that it’s a job where you never stop learning; there’s always something new to discover.

What is it like looking for work in Paris as a native English speaker? Any advice for current students?

It’s easy to see being a native English speaker in Paris as a limitation if you’re not bilingual, but I would encourage students to see it as a plus. It’s hard to give specific advice because it depends on the work a student may be looking for, but I think if you really want to stay in the city and are proactive enough, there’s always a way to make it work. Let everyone know that you want to stay in Paris and that you’re looking for a job. And most importantly, be kind to yourself. It takes a couple of years to settle into a new country and make it feel like home.

You can view Sinéad’s work for Le Monde in English here.

Refractions: Paris Postgraduate Festival 2023 Full Programme

In a world of sensory stimulants, art is the prism through which we refract our experiences. This year’s Paris Postgraduate Festival takes on the theme of Refractions. Taking place from 5th-9th June, these 5 free events will disperse the prismatic visions of artists across multiple Parisian venues. Please see the festival website to sign up and RSVP.

Pop-up Exhibition. Agora.

Monday June 5, 2023: Festival launch and Pop-up Exhibition

The 2023 festival will launch with a pop-up exhibition featuring artworks, sounds, and, of course, wine. Visit us in the 11th district of Paris where we will exhibit the work of a range of emerging artists, based in Paris, accompanied by audio inspirations.

WHEN + WHERE: 5:30-9:30 PM, Mon Pop-up Paris, 14 rue Jean Mace, 75011

Peniche Cinema – La Baruda. Time Out.

Tuesday June 6, 2023: Sounds & Visions

We present an experimental event incorporating live jazz music from Antoine Karacostas, accompanied by a programme of exceptional short films. Experience a new form of silent cinema, an amalgamation of contemporary and archive.

WHEN + WHERE: 5:30 PM at La Péniche Cinéma – Le Baruda in La Villette, 75019 Paris

RSVP

Wednesday June 7, 2023: Featured Author – Rebecca Watson

We invite you to join Featured Author Rebecca Watson in an afternoon of literary discussion and workshops. Experience an experimental writing workshop and an exclusive reading from Rebecca’s debut novel little scratch.

WHEN + WHERE: 2 PM at The Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop, 11 rue de Médicis No. 9, 75006 Paris

Space is limited – please sign up

Thursday June 8, 2023: The Menteur Launch Party

Join us in celebrating the launch of Voyager, the 2023 edition of The Menteur, the Paris School of Art’s annual literary magazine. Come get your free copy of the magazine, listen to readings by featured authors, and clink a glass to celebrate!

WHEN + WHERE: 1 PM at Rosa Bonheur Buttes Chaumont, 2 Av. de la Cascade, 75019 Paris

RSVP

Parc des Buttes Chaumont.

Friday June 9, 2023: The Art of Communications

We close the festival with a workshop that will awaken all your senses; the writing and reading of poetry informed by olfactory exploration. This poetry and perfumery workshop will take place in the beautiful hills of Buttes Chaumont.

WHEN + WHERE: 6:30 PM at Parc Des Buttes-Chaumont, 1 Rue Botzaris, 75019 Paris.

Precise location will be provided to participants prior to the event.

Space is limited – please sign up

Nouvelle Vague Movie Locations in Paris

La Nouvelle Vague, the French New Wave movement of the late 1950s to 1960s, left an undelible mark on cinema history not just in France, but around the world. Directors most associated with the art film movement lived in Paris, and the city featured heavily in their work. Innovative use of portable camera equipement also made it easier for these filmmakers to use the city itself rather than a film set. You can delve into the world of the Nouvelle Vague by visiting the sites and districts we have compiled here.

Daguerréotypes – Agnès Varda

Montparnasse

The area around our Paris School was a prime location for Nouvelle Vague directors. The greatest of these was Agnès Varda, who lived on la Rue Daguerre, which she immortalised in Daguerréotypes, a 1976 documentary illustrating life on this vibrant market street (predominantly shot between numbers 70-90). Montparnasse also appeared in her film Cléo de 5 à 7 (Cléo from 5 to 7), in particular the Café Le Dôme and the Parc Montsouris. Jean-Luc Godard selected the classic Montparnasse café La Rotonde for a scene in his cult classic A Bout de Souffle (Breathless). Right around the corner from the school and south of the Luxembourg Gardens, rue Michelet also appeared in Rohmer’s Le Beau Mariage (A Good Marriage).

A Bout de Souffle – Jean-Luc Godard

L’Avenue des Champs Elysées

Although there is less interest in strolling Paris’s most famous avenue today, now mostly lined with chain shops, Les Champs Elysées was the backdrop of several New Wave films. The most iconic of these is Jean-Luc Godard’s A Bout de Souffle (Breathless), whose main characters Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) and Patricia (Jean Seberg) meet on the street where she’s selling newspapers. Eric Rohmer’s first full-length feature, Le Signe du Lion (The Sign of Leo), was shot on the avenue and around Place de l’Etoile, which was also captured in Jacques Rivette’s Paris nous appartient (Paris Belongs to Us).

Le Signe du Lion – Eric Rohmer

The Seine

The banks of the Seine River starred in a range of Nouvelle Vague films. Rohmer’s Le Signe du Lion showcased the walkway along the river as well as one of the city’s loveliest bridges, Le Pont des Arts. The bridge also appears in Rivette’s Paris nous appartient and Charbrol’s films Les Godelureaux (Wise Guys) and Les Biches (The Does).

Les 400 Coups – François Truffaut, no. 16 rue Fontaine

Pigalle

Having grown up in the then middle class 9th district, south of Pigalle, many of François Truffaut’s films revisit his childhood haunts. Les 400 Coups (The 400 Blows) had a number of scenes shot in the area, especially in and around rue des Martyrs, Avenue Frochot and rue Fontaine (at number 16 where the boys are looking out of the rooftop skylight). Main character Antoine Doinel ambles the busy Boulevard de Clichy, which runs from near Place Pigalle to Place de Clichy, and also goes to the movies at le Wepler, a movie theatre still standing, albeit in a modern incarnation, on Place de Clichy. Sadly le Gaumont Palace, once the largest movie theatre in Europe, has now been replaced by DIY store Castorama.

Baiser Volés – François Truffaut, rue Navarin

Montmartre

Truffaut was also fond of nearby Montmartre, whose back streets feature in Les Quatre Cents Coups as well as in his 1968 film Baisers Volés (Stolen Kisses), especially around l’Avenue Junot, la rue de Steinkerque and la rue Caulaincourt. The above shot from the film was actually filmed on rue Navarin in the 9th, but looks up towards Sacré-Coeur and la Butte de Montmartre. He shot a scene in L’Amour en Fuite (Love on the Run) in the Montmartre Cemetery, which turned out to be his final resting place.

Paris Vu Par…

Paris vu par…

Lastly, for a grand tour of the city watch Paris vu par… (Six in Paris), a collection of vignettes by the leading directors of the movement and released in 1965. Jean Douchet focuses on the intellectual Saint-Germain-des-Prés area, including the Café de Flore and the Institut de France and the Musée Delacroix. Jean Rouch’s short is on the working-class Gare du Nord area and rue Lafayette. Claude Chabrol selected the bourgeois 16th district around La Muette in contrast to Jean-Daniel Pollet’s seedy Rue Saint-Denis. Rohmer revisited Place de l’Etoile and Godard travelled from a sculptor’s workshop in Montparnasse to the suburb of Levallois.

Passionate about film and its history? Study Film in Paris by pursuing our Master’s in Film Programme. Learn more about it, and our other MA Programmes in the Humanities, at this link.

International Women’s Day 2022 in Paris

Tuesday 8th March marks International Women’s Day: a day to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.

The history of the day is rooted in the women’s suffrage and labour movements of North America and Europe in the early 20th century, who wanted a day to recognise women’s achievements and rights. After the 1917 revolution, Russia chose 8th March as their Women’s Day and other communist countries followed suit. By the 1960s, the day was adopted by global feminist movements and it became a mainstream global holiday following its adoption by the United Nations in 1977.

Here are some events happening around Paris to celebrate the day and shed light onto issues facing women here in France and across the world:

H24. Columbia Global Centers.

H24: 24 Hours, 24 Women, 24 Stories

Columbia Global Centers, the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination and Lost in Frenchlation have teamed up to bring you a multilingual film screening in honour of International Women’s Day. H24 is a series of 24 short films by 24 female writers performed by 24 actresses, all based on the real life experiences of women dealing with sexism, harassment and violence. The screening will be followed by a discussion in English with producers Justine Henochsberg and Julie Guesnon Amarante.

Ce que les Afghanes à nous dire. Mairie du 10e arrondissement.

Ce que les Afghanes ont à nous dire

The Town Hall of the 10th Arrondissement is hosting a photography exhibition by recently exiled Afghan artists, allowing them to express themselves on the subject of their and their country’s situation after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The exhibition will run until 17th March with a special musical performance on Tuesday 8th March at 6pm for International Women’s Day.

PLURI’elles 2. Sine Nomine Collectif.

PLURI’elles #2

Following the success of last years exhibition despite Covid-19 related restrictions, Sine Nomine Collectif are back, bringing you a week of art, debates, theatrical performances, round table discussions, music and more at the Espace Voltaire. Find the full programme of events running from 8th to 14th March on Facebook.

Films de femmes.

Festival Films de Femmes

The Festival Films de Femmes is an international film festival in Créteil. The festival’s 44th edition, from 11th to 20th March, will feature short films, documentaries and feature films, as well as a retrospective on Susan Sontag’s work and a feature on Chinese cinema. The screenings will take place across three locations: the Maison des Arts et de Culture and the Lucarne cinema in Créteil, and Les 7 Parnassiens cinema in Paris.

Women are not afraid. Pauline Makoveitchoux.

Women are not afraid

On the fences around the Town Hall of the 1st Arrondissement, Pauline Makoveitchoux presents her photography exhibition: Women are not afraid. This photo series focuses on women defiantly reclaiming their right to exist in public and urban spaces. The public will be able to view this open air exhibition until Thursday 31st March.

Featured image: International Women’s Day 2015 demonstration. Boris Horvat/AFP.

Chéries-Chéris: Paris’s International LGBT+ Film Festival

The Chéries-Chéris International LGBTQI+ Film Festival is back for its 27th edition from 20 to 30 November 2021 hosted in the mk2 cinemas Beaubourg, Bibliothèque and Quai de Seine.

The festival was started in 1994 by a group of four French film makers, ciritics and activists as a response to the lack of LGBT+ narratives represented in mainstream French media.

Originally named Festival de films gays et lesbien de Paris (FFGLP), it was renamed Chéries-Chéris in 2009 as an hommage to the famous expression “Chéri, chéri” of actress Alice Sapritch, which was imortalised in the famous sketch by Thierry le Luron in 1980 and later by Alice Sapritch herself in her 1986 song Slowez-moi.

The festival presents a Grand Prix and a Jury award in each of its three categories: feature films, documentaries, and short films. They also present an award for best performance to an actor in a feautre-length film.

All the films will be shown in the original language with French subtitles.

Our recommendations:

After Blue. Bertrand Mandico.

Feature Film:

After Blue, Paradis Sale is a French science fiction film set in the distant future on a planet inhabitted only by women. The story follows the lonely teenager Roxy, who is banished from her community alongside her mother for freeing a criminal buried in the sand. Sentenced to track down the killer, they begin roaming the fantastical planet they call home.

Documentaries:

Ultraviolette. Robin Hunzinger.

Ultraviolette is a French documentary of the story of a first love that marked two teenage girls forever, Marcelle and Emma. It starts at the moment of their separation, when great love turns into absolute love, as absence makes the heart grow fonder. Claudie and Robin Hunzinger retell this true story through magnificent archival photographs and numerous letters that Marcelle sent to Emma which the latter lovingly preserved through the years.

Acts of Love. Isidore Bethel & Francis Leplay.

Acts of Love is a documentary which follows a filmmaker who relocates to Chicago, when his older boyfriend loses interest in him, and uses dating apps to cast new lovers in an amorphous project about romantic attraction, compatibility, and attachment that his mother hates.

Short Films:

There are screenings of groups of 5 to 6 short films throughout the festival. Full details can be found on the Chéries-Chéris website.

My Darling. Phil Connel.

Other Screenings:

Cheries-Cheris is also screening a number of other feature length films and documentaries that are not shortlisted for awards this year as they were released in previous years.

My Darling (Jump, Darling) is a Canadian drama film following Russell, a rookie drag queen who escapes to the countryside after a breakup. He stays with his grandmother who in steep decline yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home.

Ten Classic French Films to Watch

Since the early days of film and pioneering works like Georges Méliès’s Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon, 1902), the French have excelled at filmmaking. Considered in France as the 7th art form, a number of French filmmakers have left their mark on cinema history with their chef d’oeuvres. Here are some of the top classic French films made up to 1970 to add to your film list.

La Règle du jeu (The Rules of the Game, 1939), Jean Renoir

Although it was a commercial and critical flop at the time of its released just before the outbreak of WWII, after a reconstruction in 1959 La Règle du Jeu went on to be deemed one of the greatest films in cinema history. Mainly set in a country house outside Paris, the satirical comedy-drama criticizes the relationship the French haut bourgeoisie had with their servants.

Les Enfants du paradis (Children of Paradise, 1945), Marcel Carné

Set in the world of Parisian theatre of the 1830s, this film shot by Carné during WWII was voted “Best Film of the Century” by leading French film critics. Although the word paradis often refers to Heaven in French, it also is used to describe the second balcony or gallery in a theatre, which is its significance in Carné’s cinematographic masterpiece. The story revolves around a courtesan, played by legendary French actress Arletty, and four suitors, a mime, an actor, a well-known criminal and an aristocrat, all of whom attempt to woo her in different ways.

Les Diaboliques (Diabolique, 1955), Henri-Georges Clouzot

This psychological thriller film, starring Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, Paul Meurisse and Charles Vanel was based on the novel She Who Was No More (Celle qui n’était plus) by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. The Hitchcockian plot revolves around a woman and her husband’s mistress who conspire to murder him.

Hiroshima mon amour (Hiroshima My Love, 1959), Alain Resnais

In his first feature-length film, Alain Resnais helped draw attention to the French Nouvelle Vague with his innovative use of flashbacks to create a non-lineal timeline. The film traces the relationship of a French woman, Emmanuelle Riva, and Japanese man, Eiji Okada, in the wake of the Hiroshima bombings. It received a number of accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for its screenwriter Marguerite Duras.

Les quatre cents coups (The 400 Blows, 1959), François Truffaut

The directorial debut of iconic filmmaker François Truffaut, this was a seminal film of the French New Wave Movement. The film also marked a long collaboration between Truffaut and actor Jean-Pierre Léaud, often referred to as the filmmaker’s onscreen alter ego. The film follows troubled teen Antoine Doinel as he rebels against his teachers and parents. The film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival at which Truffaut won the Award for Best Director.

À bout de souffle (Breathless, 1960), Jean-Luc Godard

An international hit when it was released, Jean-Luc Godard’s first feature film helped put the spotlight on the Nouvelle Vague. Considered one of the best films of all time, it stars Jean-Paul Belmondo, a wandering criminal, and Jean Seberg, a young American in Paris. A mix between romance and drama, Godard used a bold visual style and innovative jump cuts.

Cléo de 5 à 7 (Cléo from 5 to 7, 1962), Agnès Varda

One of the leading filmmakers of the French New Wave, this film launched Agnès Varda’s career and formed her artistic practice. The story followers a young singer, Florence “Cléo” Victoire, as she awaits test results for a possible diagnosis of cancer. Unfolding in real time, Varda plays with this through her editing. The film explores themes of existentialism, popularized at the time by philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.

La Grande Vadrouille (Don’t Look Now… We’re Being Shot At!, 1966), Gérard Oury

For something a little more lighthearted, the French love comedies and this classic is high on the list of all-time favourites. Set in 1942, two French civilians, played by Louis de Funès and André Bourville, try to assist the crew of a Royal Air Force bomber shot down over Paris reach unoccupied France. Hilarious misadventures ensue.

Le Samouraï (The Samurai or The Godson, 1967), Jean-Pierre Melville

For those for a penchant for crime films, this is one of the best by French expert director of the genre Jean-Pierre Melville. Alain Delon plays a professional hitman who is seen by witnesses and then digs himself into a deeper hole trying to secure an alibi. Melville shows off his skills at creating suspense and ambiance.

Ma nuit chez Maud (My Night With Maud, 1969), Eric Rohmer

The last of the New Wave directors, this clever film raised Rohmer to the Pantheon of French filmmakers. The third film in his series of Six Moral Tales, the movie features features Jean-Louis Trintignant as a Catholic engineer who has a case of love at first sight with Françoise, a woman he meets by chance at Mass. He becomes determined to marry her, nevertheless, gets tempted by Maud, an alluring divorcée.

Interested in delving further into French Film? Learn more about our Master’s in Film in Paris at this link. The above films are often screen at these top Art House Cinemas in Paris.

Graduate Profile: Film Professional Sarah Kathryn Cleaver

In the latest in our Alumni Spotlight series we connect with Sarah Kathryn Cleaver, an alumna of our Film Master’s Programme in Paris. Since graduating from our Paris School of Arts and Culture (PSAC), she has done research and writing for film projects and launched the Zodiac Film Club in London. Read about Sarah’s experience studying at PSAC and her time in Paris in our interview with her below.

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?

I’m from London (born in Essex) and I’d wanted to spend some time living in Paris since I could remember. I began working straight after my BA, and after about five years I started feeling a bit lost, and knew I wanted to spend some time writing and researching and take a break from the hustle. I had a couple of ideas I thought I could turn into a thesis, and started looking around for a Master’s degree.

What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?

Of course it was the ‘living in Paris’ bit, but I’m really glad I got to experience learning in Kent’s film department as well. I did one semester commuting into Kent (very early morning trains) and then two in Paris. My best friend had moved to Paris a couple of years before, so I was excited to join her for a bit. I also just really needed a change, since I’d grown up, studied and worked in London.

What were some of the highlights of your experience?

My favourite place on earth is The American Library in Paris, I’d go there every weekend and read crime novels to relax. I loved Paris’ cinema culture, it’s so affordable and they show an incredible range of films. I met some really clever and interesting people who I’m terrible at keeping in contact with, but when we do see each other it’s like no time has passed. I think it was really good for me to lead a small life; a few friends, classes, books, the cinema, living alone in the tiniest flat I’ve ever seen. It taught me a lot about how much (or how little) I need to be happy.

What are you currently doing and how did that opportunity come about?

A lot of things. Primarily I write and research. When I got back to London, I applied for a job as an image and editorial researcher on a book about London’s 100 Club and got it, so for months I was finding and interviewing people and trying to get them to send me photographs of them in the club in the 80s. That’s led to a few other research and writing jobs. I also have some copywriting jobs for brands and websites which I’ve found I like a lot. Real writing is 90% hideous and 10% satisfying, but copywriting is like word maths; there’s usually a correct answer and it’s pretty difficult to take it personally. I do write properly sometimes, mostly about film. I wish I did more but I’m a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to pitching.

The other thing I did when I came home was start a film club with a friend. It was very much inspired by cinema culture in Paris–the way I saw a ton of films I would never have otherwise watched. We thought it would just be us and our friends at first, but we grew quite an audience and it led to writing jobs and other interesting opportunities. I’m not totally sure what this is going to be yet but I’d like to grow this more. Dr Tamar Jeffers McDonald at the Kent Campus runs this amazing conference called Gothic Feminism that I look forward to attending again if it continues post-Covid, but it was my first time there that made me realise that what I’m passionate about is delivering an academic approach to a subject in an accessible way to people who aren’t academics. That’s what Zodiac is about, that and very girly, trashy films. And overall I think PSAC encourages that combination of academia and real life.

Do you think that your studies at PSAC helped with your career prospects?

I think careers and creative development are not necessarily the same thing. This might be a disappointing answer but I’m not sure young people have a ton of control over their career prospects at this particular moment in time, and that’s something we should try not to let damage our view of ourselves. I think everything I’ve learned about work I’ve learned from working. What’s great about PSAC is that it’s really valuable time outside of those kinds of parameters. If you want to do something creative, having something that you’re really interested in and honing your ability to explore and communicate it tends to lead to things in life, whether that’s like minded people or interesting work. That’s what I think studying at PSAC develops. Unless of course you want to continue in academia, and then I can’t imagine anywhere nicer to do that.

Would you recommend PSAC to potential students and if so what would you tell them?

I definitely would. I would tell them laundrettes are the best place to practice French, to eat as many chouquettes as possible because you’ll miss them when you leave, that nannying is a really difficult job but a good way to build character. And to just enjoy themselves.

Merci beaucoup Sarah!

Connect with Sarah here:

@sarahkcleaver

@zodiacfilmclub

Escapism: Paris Postgraduate Festival 2021 Programme

Students at the Paris School of Arts and Culture are excited to present this year’s edition of our postgraduate festival, taking place virtually from 1-5 June 2021.

This year the theme is Escapism and you can find a taster of what is planned below. You can also see the full programme on the festival website by clicking on the button below. Please note that all times are Paris local time (CEST) and are free to attend, although advance registration is required via the links below.

Further details about the programme on the festival website or stay up to date by following the festival’s social media accounts: Facebook / Instagram.

Paris Postgraduate Festival Programme: 1-5 June 2021

Drag and Escapism: Tuesday, 1 June at 6:30 pm

Does drag provide a way for artists to inhabit another persona and escape from outdated gender roles? Or is it an outward embodiment of a true self? We are delighted to present a discussion on escapism and drag with Charity Kase and Rosie Zinfandel as the kick off to this year’s festival.

Charity Kase is a London based artist and performer with a punk aesthetic and taste for nightmarish beauty. Charity first garner attention in 2017 when they completed a 365-day drag challenge, creating a new character look every day of the year. Rosie Zinfandel made headlines in 2019 by being crowned one of the three queens in the UK’s first ever drag queen pageant. This rousing conversation will be followed by a Q&A session with Charity and Rosie.

Register for the event here.

A Conversation with Artist Scout Roll: Wednesday, 2 June at 5:00 pm

Join us for a conversation with Scout Gibbons Roll. Scout is an American artist, painter and illustrator. For their work, they use crypto currency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in order to create a unique value and identity for each artwork they produce. Our conversation will explore the ways in which an artist can escape through their work, as well as how art itself can escape its traditional confines through the transition into a digital form.

Register for the event here.

Film Screening and Director Q&A: Paris Stalingrad by Hind Meddeb: Thursday, 3 June at 8:00 pm

The festival is proudly partnering with Lost in Frenchlation, organisers of French film screenings with English subtitles, for the screening of Paris-Stalingrad, a documentary by Hind Meddeb. The film documents the plight of refugees camping in the Stalingrad district of Paris while waiting to regularise their situation. It offers powerful insight into modern day immigration and the hardships faced by those seeking to escape their circumstances and find refuge in Paris. In keeping with the festival’s theme of Escapism, the film provides multifaceted view into the human rights struggles that exist for disenfranchised peoples on a global scale. Learn more about the film and watch the trailer at this link.

Free tickets limited to the first 50 sign-ups. Register here.

A Conversation with Yelena Moskovich: Friday, 4 June at 6:00 pm

We are thrilled to host a conversation with Paris-based writer Yelena Moskovich. Yelena was born in Ukraine (former USSR) and immigrated to Wisconsin with her family as Jewish refugees in 1991. She studied theatre at Emerson College, Boston, and in France at the Lecoq School of Physical Theatre and Université Paris 8. She is the author of The Natashas and Virtuoso, which was longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize.

This discussion will include a reading from her upcoming book A Door Behind a Door (to be released in the US on 18 May) and will touch upon personal forms of escapism and ways to keep creative during lockdown. It will be followed by a Q&A about life, writing, and literature. It isn’t necessary to have read Yelena’s books to participate, however, if you’re interested, they can be purchased directly from her publisher, at Shakespeare and Company in Paris or at your local independent bookstore.

Register for the event here.

The Menteur Launch: Saturday, 5 June at 7:00 pm

Come and discover what the students have been working on all year! The Menteur is a literary and arts magazine, founded in 2012, edited and produced annually by postgraduate students at the University of Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture.

This year’s edition, Art Rewired, features work that engages or challenges ideas/dichotomies of solitude and interconnectivity felt during the pandemic. How is a world pushing against social contact rewiring our definition of connection and collaboration? The virtual launch will reveal the magazine for the first time and include performances of some of the pieces in this year’s edition.

Register for the event here.

We are warmly inviting you to our online escape and look forward to welcoming you at the festival events.

Stay safe,
University of Kent Paris Festival Team

The Best Historic Art House Cinemas in Paris

Since the first ever public film screening in 1895, Parisians have been big cinéphiles, or film buffs. The city’s phenomenal film culture is definitely a top reason to study film in Paris. One of the best ways of experiencing this is by attending screenings at one of the Paris’s historic cinemas. The following movie theatres have both excellent screening agendas and fascinating histories.

Le Champo. Photo LPLT / CC

Le Champo

Opened in 1938, this is one of the leading movie theatres in the Latin Quarter, where many of the art house cinemas in Paris are located. Down the street from the Sorbonne, it’s popular with students of the University of Paris and was an important cinema for La Nouvelle Vague. In fact, François Truffaut deemed it his “headquarters” and by Claude Chabrol considered it as his “second university”. In the early 2000s, with worries that the cinema might close down, a group of cinema professionals, including Cédric Klapisch and Isabelle Huppert, succeeded in saving the cinema and getting it classified as a national monument.

Cinéma du Panthéon

Established in 1907, this is the oldest movie theatre in the city. In 1929 it was bought by Pierre Braunberger, the producer who is credited for discovering La Nouvelle Vague greats such as Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais and Jean-Pierre Melville. As such, the cinema became a showcase for the French New Wave and was one of the first French cinemas to screen foreign films in their original language. In 2006 the theatre saw a modern touch with the addition of a stylish “salon” co-designed by actress Catherine Deneuve.

Studio 28. Photo: Tatvam / CC

Le Studio 28

Considered by Jean Cocteau as “the cinema of masterpieces, the masterpiece of cinemas”, this eclectic art house cinema is tucked away on a small street in Montmartre. It was inaugurated in 1928 with a screening of Abel Gance’s Napoléon and quickly became popular with the avant-garde artists and filmmakers of the time. It’s lobby even once included artwork by Dali, Joan Miro, Max Ernst, Man Ray, and Pierre Tanguy. In November 1930, Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali’s film L’Age d’Or premiered at the theatre. The film, which aimed to question the Roman Catholic Church’s strict policies on sexuality, caused such an uproar that the film was banned within a week and the cinema was ransacked by right-wing rioters. The movie theatre managed to persist through those turbulent times and has carried on with its innovative programming. Even if you haven’t been to the cinema yet, you might have already since it as it was featured in Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2001 film Amélie.

Le Louxor

This beautiful Art Deco cinema has had many lives since opening in 1921. As you might guess by its name, it features an Egyptian inspired façade, with gilded mosaics, and it had a Pharaonic-sized screening at 1,195 seats, making it one of the largest in Paris at the time (it has since been reduced). Despite its façade and roof being classified as national monuments in the early 1970s, cinema-going was then beginning to wane in Paris. This led to the building being transformed into the biggest gay nightclub in the city before being abandoned for a decade. It was fortunately bought by the city of Paris in 2003, leading to its restoration and reopening in 2013. Before or after your film, grab a drink at its bar which has a terrace with lovely views of Montmartre.

Lucernaire

Although this multifunction theatre and cinema isn’t as old as some of the others on the list, it still holds its place in the Parisian art house scene. Opened in 1969, the Montparnasse venue is comprised of three theatres, three screening rooms, a bookshop, art gallery, restaurant and bar. Whether it’s the art on display or the films being screened, the establishment aims to foster new talents, creativity and interconnectivity between art forms. What’s more, it’s conveniently located down the street from our Paris School.

Studio Galande. Photo: LPLT / CC

Studio Galande

Another Latin Quarter film institution, this small theatre has occupied a cellar near Notre Dame since 1973. Although it has a diverse programme of art house films from all around the globe, it is best known for its twice-weekly screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Held every Friday and Saturday night at 10 pm, the Studio Galande is the only European movie theatre to still have regular screenings of Jim Sharman’s cult musical comedy. The lively screenings are accompanied by local costumed performers who lead the audience in sing-alongs and dancing.

Reflet Médicis

Originally a theatre for dramatic productions, since 1964 this Latin Quarter cinema has become one of Paris leading and most active independent film venues. In addition to an varied agenda of art house films of both past and present, the cinema hosts regular retrospectives, debates and conferences. Today it is now part of the Dulac Cinémas, a small group of art house cinemas striving to keep this tradition alive.

Interesting in immersing yourself in Film in Paris? Consider pursuing your knowledge during the one-year Film Master’s degree programme offer by our Paris School of Arts and Culture.

France to Reopen Museums, Cinemas and Theatres on 19 May 2021

After a six month closure, we are extremely pleased that cultural venues will be reopening in France as of 19 May 2021. All museums, art galleries, theatres and cinemas may reopen, under certain conditions. Here is a summary of the new protocols and how it relates to visitors.

Déconfinement Phase 2: 19 May Reopening Conditions

As of 19 May the nation-wide curfew in France will be pushed back to 9pm. Therefore, you will have more time to be able to visit cultural sites and take in movie screenings in person.

All sites can only reopen with a reinforced sanitary protocol. As a general rule, the reopening of sites does not depend on the size of the facility, however, it is capped at 800 people at one time inside and a 1,000 outside (for example, the interior of the Chateau de Versailles and the gardens). However, it also stipulates that there should 8 m2 per visitor until 9 June when the curfew goes up to 11 pm and the space will be 4 m2. Therefore, sites must factor this in when calculating the exact number of people inside the site at one time.

Other conditions include a one one circulation system (similar to what was enforced after last year’s lockdown), hand sanitiser available at the entrance and a preference to booking e-tickets in advance (as is already the case at the Louvre).

Gradual Reopening of Museums & Cultural Sites

Just because sites are allowed to reopen on 19 May, it doesn’t mean that all museums and monuments will be reopening on that exact date. For example, the doors of the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay the Centre Pompidou, the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Chateau de Versailles will be reopening on the 19th, but some sites are waiting until the weekend.

The Palais de Tokyo, Europe’s largest contemporary art centre, will be reopening on Saturday 22 May with an exhibit by performance artist Anne Imhof entitled Natures Mortes (Still Lives). Since the building is quite large, they will be respecting the maximum of 800 visitors at a time.

The highly anticipated opening of the Pinault Collection at the Bourse to Commerce will also take place on 22 May. After several years of extensive renovations, the former grain hall of the Paris central food market has been converted into a new venue of collection of contemporary art. For other venues, it’s advised to check their websites beforehand so you do not arrive to find the site closed.

Free Access for Students

Holders of a student card can obtain free entrance to most museums in Paris. For smaller museums you merely need to present your ID (student and national ID) upon entering or but for larger museums, like the Louvre, you need to book in advance a free student ticket in advance.

At time of publication, the Louvre ticket booking system was not yet activated, however, this is the link (select your date, then the ticket options will come up, you will need to proceed to the check out, but will not be charged for your ticket). The Orsay reservation system is working via this link. Select free of charge reservation, then select “add to cart”, then “I book”, skip the audioguide page by clicking then “I book”, then you’ll have the date and time option. For the Centre Pompidou, follow this link and select a free ticket for a youth or an art/conservatoire student.

Reflet Médicis / Facebook

Movie Theatres

The date of this new déconfinement stage falls on a Wednesday, the traditional day of the week when new films are released. As there has been a backlog of films to be released, there have have been some issues over which ones will come out first. However, film fans should have an exciting few weeks of releases. To help you decide which cinemas to go to in the city, check out our article on the Best Historic Art House Cinemas in Paris.

Enjoy this return to culture and stay safe!