Paris Cinema International Film Festival (Discontinued)

Overview

The Paris Cinema International Film Festival was a Paris-based festival that ran from 2003 to 2014. Founded by then-Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë and Christophe Girard, then deputy for culture, the festival presented world and European premieres of international films across Paris's network of independent cinemas and art house venues. The festival ceased operations after its 12th edition in July 2014, when the organizing association closed due to loss of municipal subsidies. The festival is no longer active.

At its peak, Paris Cinema screened over 100 films across 12 days, with ticket prices at EUR 5 per screening or EUR 30 for an unlimited pass. The festival was presided over by actress Charlotte Rampling during its 9th edition in 2011. The festival's industry component, Paris Project, provided a co-production platform for international filmmakers.

The festival occupied a specific niche in the Parisian cinema landscape: it bridged prestige arthouse premieres (often films from Cannes) with broader public access, distributing screenings across multiple Parisian neighborhoods rather than concentrating them in a single venue. The festival also ran annual country focus programs, exploring the cinematic traditions of Brazil, Korea, Lebanon, the Philippines, Turkey, Japan, and Mexico in successive editions.

Festival Status

Paris Cinema is discontinued. The 12th edition in July 2014 was the festival's last. The organizing association closed due to lack of subsidies, with the City of Paris reducing its contribution by EUR 300,000 over four years. The festival still cost the city approximately EUR 740,000 annually at the time of closure, with box office revenue entirely redistributed to participating cinemas.

The festival's closure was confirmed by press release from Anne Barjot, Secretary General of the organizing association, in November 2014. The closure was not a temporary pause but a permanent cessation of operations.

Filmmakers who previously submitted to Paris Cinema should consider alternative Paris-based festivals, including the Champs-Elysees Film Festival (franco-american focus, June), the Paris International Fantastic Film Festival (PIFFF, genre focus, December), and Cinema Paradiso (Grand Palais event, June).

Key Sections (Historical)

• International Competition - films competing for jury prizes, judged by audience vote in later editions
• Premieres - world and European premieres of international films, often including Cannes highlights
• Retrospectives - programs honoring major filmmakers and national cinemas
• Country Focus - annual focus on a specific country's cinema (Brazil, Korea, Lebanon, Philippines, Turkey, Japan, Mexico)
• Paris Project - industry co-production platform selecting feature projects at concept or post-production stage
• Nuit de Cinema - opening night event at Forum des Images, including previously unreleased films
• Special Events - outdoor screenings and community events across Paris neighborhoods

What Filmmakers Should Know

Paris Cinema no longer operates. Filmmakers seeking a Paris premiere should consider the following alternatives:

• Champs-Elysees Film Festival - franco-american focus, held in June in the 8th arrondissement. Competition judged by audience.
• Paris International Fantastic Film Festival (PIFFF) - genre focus, held in December at Max Linder Panorama. Submissions via FilmFreeway, deadline typically October 31.
• Cinema Paradiso - large-scale public event at the Grand Palais, organized by MK2. Not a competitive festival.
• Festival du Film Nucleaire - niche festivals organized by Forum des Images, Centre Pompidou, and Cinematheque francaise (Reel, Etrange, Films restaures) throughout the year.

For international filmmakers seeking French distribution, the Marche du Film at Cannes (May) and the Les Arcs Film Festival industry program (December) remain the primary entry points for French market access.

Major Awards (Historical)

• Grand Prix - Best Film in the International Competition
• Special Jury Prize
• Audience Award - voted by festival audiences (in later editions, the audience served as the jury for the competition)

The 2014 Audience Award was given to Party Girl, which also won the Camera d'Or at Cannes that year.

Festival History

Paris Cinema was founded in 2003 by Bertrand Delanoë, then Mayor of Paris, and Christophe Girard, then deputy for culture. The festival was created as a public-facing event that would bring international cinema to Parisian audiences across the city's existing cinema infrastructure, rather than building a single festival venue.

From 2003 to 2014, the festival had varying fortunes. Early editions were expansive, programming over 100 films across 12 days. In later years, the festival reduced its programming by approximately two-thirds and shortened its duration as municipal subsidies declined. The City of Paris cut its contribution by EUR 300,000 over four years leading up to the closure.

The festival's identity was shaped by its position between Cannes (May) and the fall festival season. Distributors used Paris Cinema to maintain buzz for Cannes premieres ahead of their summer and fall theatrical releases. The festival's country focus programs introduced Parisian audiences to national cinemas that received limited distribution in France.

Paris Project, the festival's industry component, selected feature film projects at concept or post-production stage for co-production development during the festival. This program attracted international producers and filmmakers seeking European co-production partners.

The festival's closure in 2014 reflected broader pressures on Parisian cultural funding. The city already supported numerous cinema events, including the Champs-Elysees Film Festival, outdoor summer screenings, and thematic festivals organized by the Forum des Images, Centre Pompidou, and Cinematheque francaise. The saturation of Parisian cinema events contributed to the difficulty of maintaining a standalone international festival with a distinct identity.

See Also

For active French festivals, see Cannes Film Festival and FIDMarseille. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy. For international film markets and distribution, see International Film Markets.