The Fête du Cinéma, which seeks to encourage movie theatre attendance from “all audiences” with low-price tickets, has been around since 1985.

This year the event will run from Sunday, June 30th to Wednesday, July 3rd. Tickets for individual films will be priced at €5, with the exception of special films (3D, 4Dx and iMax) which will continue to be charged at their usual rates.

Organised by the National Federation of French Cinemas (Fédération Nationale des Cinémas Français, or FNCF), the Fête du Cinéma started off as just a one day event and then gradually grew in proportion. Nowadays, it runs for several days, usually taking place during the summer months.

In previous years, other cultural institutions, such as museums and libraries, have also joined in the celebration by setting up their own movie screenings during the Fête.

In 2022, it brought in over three million spectators in 2022, offering tickets for just €4 to tempt people back to cinemas in the aftermath in the pandemic. 

However, prices were increased to €5 in 2023, with the head of the FNCF explaining to BFMTV the change was necessary due to “the cost of running cinemas”.

How to take advantage of the deals

It’s pretty simple, as most French cinemas are participating in the Fête du Cinema.

Simply go to your local movie theatre’s website and select the film you would like to see. You ought to be able to reserve your ticket at the €5 price.

You can also go onto the official feteducinema.com website to get an idea of the films being screened, as well as where you might be able to purchase tickets.

If you are interested in testing your luck, you can also enter their prize competition to win 24 movie tickets valid for one year.

What films to see?

There are several films in French theatres this week, though many of them are French-language films which may be worth considering for those who do not speak French.

One of the largest French films of the year, Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo), will be screened across French cinemas this week. It is based on the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas, and it follows Edmond Dantès, a French 19-year-old first mate of the merchant ship Pharaon, who is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned at an island fortress off the coast of Marseille.

After 14 years he manages to escape, taking on the identity of the ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ and attempting to take revenge on those who betrayed him. For those in the Paris region, this film will also be available with English subtitles in a screening by ‘Lost in Frenchlation’ later in July. More info here.

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Otherwise, you might consider Un P’tit truc en plus (A Little Something Extra) which has been a huge hit in the French box office. The comedy tells the story of a bank robber who pretends to have a disablity to hide out in a holiday camp.

There are also English-language films, such as Inside Out 2 (Vice-Versa 2 in French) and the latest Yorgos Lanthimos film ‘Kinds of Kindness’.

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