Surprise 35mm Film - Treasures from the Collections

Founded in 1982, the Institut Lumière is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and showcasing the country’s cinematic heritage, including posters, photographs, and films. It houses thousands of film prints, some of which—rare and one-of-a-kind—are occasionally made available for special loans.

The issue of 35mm film is central to the Institut Lumière’s concerns. The shift to digital that began in the early 2010s has become ubiquitous and has relegated 35mm film to the status of a collector’s item. And yet, like vinyl records, 35mm film offers a different cinematic experience when watching a movie. As a traditional movie theater, the Institut Lumière has, of course, kept its 35mm projector, has amassed a large collection of film prints over the years, and regularly offers screenings in this format as part of its retrospectives.

On the program for each evening: a surprise film, never before shown on the screen of the Hangar du Premier-Film, presented in a stunning print from our collection. This is your chance to discover rare gems from cinema history, as well as to immerse yourself in the beauty of film, its unique grain, and its resplendent black-and-white imagery.

The title will be revealed once you’re in the theater. Let yourself be swept away by these blind screenings to discover some gems from the history of cinema!

At each screening, discover a surprise, rare 35mm film from the collections of the Institut Lumière