Spring in France means 3.50 euro movies during Printemps du Cinema
March 12, 2008
France invites film buffs to three days of 3.50 euro tickets in movie theaters all over France, March 16,17 & 18.
Springtime in Paris and France has many well known signs – the trees are budding, cafes begin to put tables outside, lovers appear on bridges and park benches…but another, more recent Spring tradition has delighted people in France just as much. Instead of coming outside, it’s time to go inside—to the movies.
Every year since 2000, the National Federation of the French Cinemas (FNCF) in partnership with BNP Paribas bank has organized “Movie Spring” or Printemps du Cinema. The event is timed to coincide with the beginning of Spring, but is also well situated after the Césars and the Oscars rewarding best films French and American of the past year (this year, Marion Cotillard of France made a huge splash in both France and the United States as Edith Piaf in “la Vie en Rose”) and before international films are honored at the Festival of Cannes and the Deauville Film Festival. Printemps du Cinema allows film buffs to see as many French and big-budget or indie international films as they can stand at a reduced price for three days. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, March 16, 17 and 18 all movie tickets will be sold at a single price of 3.50 euros in all the theaters in France. Theater companies UGC, Gaumont, Kinépolis, MK2, art houses and independent theaters all get into the act.
This also means that moviegoers in France have a second chance to see movies they might have missed the first time they ran, such as Dany Boon’s “Welcome to the Ch’tis” which was an unexpected smash hit, or international movies that have won acclaim in other countries but were not originally widely distributed in France. Last year, Printemps du Cinema 2007 saw 2,600,000 tickets sold in the 5,300 French movie theaters, the highest since the program’s launch in 2000. Organized in partnership with BNP Paribas as well as Virgin and MSN, the film event in France also rallies the support of producers, movie distributors in France, actors and directors, who all participate in one way or another to make the event a success and to generate enthusiasm for new films among the French, who are already movie lovers. This year, French actors and directors filmed parody movie trailers and shorts sending up the US movie dynasties of Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean films as part of a campaign to promote Printemps de Cinema among the French. Further touting the event in TV interviews are official ambassadors for Printemps du Cinema 2008: French actors and directors Charles Berling, Richard Berry, Clotilde Courau, Marianne Denicourt, Judith Godrèche, Marie Guillard and Erick Zonca.
If you’re lucky enough to be in France during the spring, you can also enjoy this event, perfect for movie buffs of all ages. Just be sure to take time out in between movies to go outside and enjoy the other things springtime in France has to offer! For information on the event, www.printempsducinema.com is the official site of Printemps du Cinema. For specific movie times, try www.Allociné.fr.
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