Paris cinema. English cinema in Paris

Paris cinema

Paris has a cinema heritage that is unique in the world: 400 viewing rooms in 64 movie theaters welcome 27 million people yearly. The 5th and 6th arrondissement in the left bank, the 9th arrondissement in the right bank are the best districts for cinema. Les Halles and Montparnasse with their two multiplexes (UGC Cine Cité les Halles and Gaumont Parnasse) confirm their success. The fourteen viewing rooms of the MK2 Bibliothèque near the National Library and the eighteen rooms of the UGC Ciné-Cité in Bercy have diversified the offer. Paris has a park of cinemas unique in the world. In total, the capital offers not less than a screen for 6.000 inhabitants. The city is also distinguished by the vivacity of its independent movie theaters showing a variety of French and international films. Challenged by the competition of the giant distributors such as Pathé, Gaumont and UGC, these small rooms are regularly threatened, but they survive as a unique asset of the city. Cause or consequence of this multiple offer, Parisians are movie buffs: the attendance index reaches the enviable figure of 13 entries per capita. In total, Parisian theaters make around 27 million admissions.

Movie programs and tickets

The city is a paradise for cinema lovers. Find programs and buy your tickets in advance at Allocine. Check also the Officiel des spectacles for the complete list of movie programs in and around the city.

The Opéra Garnier and left bank Paris districts are the best for cinema. The Grand Rex and La Géode are the most spectacular movie theaters in town.

English cinema in Paris

Many just released English and American movies are in English with French subtitles. Check the movie program. V.O. means version originale (original language). VOST means version originale sous-titrée (original version with French subtitles). The Champo and the Grand Action movie theaters in the left bank often play old American movies in English.

French movies with English subtitles in Paris

Lost in Frenchlation breaks the language barrier and brings the best of French cinema to the English speaking audience in Paris by hosting screening of French movies with English subtitles at independent cinemas such as cinéma l'Entrepot, cinéma du Panthéon and cinéma l'Epée de bois.

Le Grand Rex movie theater

The Grand Rex was built in 1931 by Jacques Haïk, a rich film producer known for popularizing Charlie Chaplin in France. His intention was to build the most beautiful Parisian cinema in which the spectators would have the illusion of watching a film in the open air. The Grand Rex is known for its architecture and interior design. The large room is decorated as a Mediterranean city in relief. The ceiling represents a starry sky. This cinema has a visitor attendance of one million visitors a year and can accommodate 2700 people in its great room, which makes it the largest movie theater in Paris.

The 45-minute tour Rex Studio immerses you in the secret and captivating world of cinema and the creation of a film through a series of sets. Take your turn as director, projectionist and even actor. Book Rex Srtudio tickets.

Paris Cinémathèque

La Cinémathèque Francaise, a world class cinema museum, is housed in a Frank Gehry building in Bercy district. It plays many rare international films.

Dedicated to the most beautiful pieces of the collections of the Cinémathèque française, the Cinema Museum displays a unique heritage in the world covering the prehistory of cinema to the present day. Mythical costumes and accessories, luxurious models of magic lanterns, picture boxes and optical views of the 18th century, cameras and projectors, models or sets, posters, photographs, manuscripts and other archives form an exceptional ensemble, probably the oldest in the world, acquired by pioneers of the film collection and constantly enriched.

Louxor movie theater

The Cinema Louxor is a great movie theater to visit at all costs. Built by architect Henri-André Zipcy on the site of a Haussmann building that housed a department store, the Louxor then had a room with 1195 seats. It was inaugurated on October 6, 1921. The movie theater looks in every respect like an Egyptian building. There are symbolic elements of Egypt, such as beetles or papyrus. There are three halls: the biggest hall has 334 seats. There is a bar, a restaurant, open only in the evening, and a terrace overlooking the cinema and Montmartre.

UGC Ciné-Cité les Halles cinema

With over 2 million spectators in 2022, the UGC Ciné Cité Les Halles was once again the busiest cinema in the world. A measurement carried out by the specialized institute Comscore, which confirmed a 2018 study. The multiplex is ahead of the AMC Burbank in Los Angeles and the Showcase Bluewater in London. This cinema has 27 screens, a record in Europe.

Pathé Palace

Steps from Opéra Garnier, the Pathé Palace is a unique cinema, distinguished by its Renzo Piano-designed architecture, the quality of its amenities, and the exclusive services offered. It features a high-end cinema with 7 screens and 854 seats, and a bar accessible with or without a ticket, offering a stunning view of the Boulevard des Capucines.

Imagined by Jacques Grange, the cinema's bar is a new place to gather before or after a movie, or simply to take a break at any time of the day. The bar caters to cinema patrons as well as Parisians looking to enjoy a gourmet pause in the midst of Parisian hustle and bustle. Open from 12.30pm until late at night, it offers a diverse and gourmet dining experience: signature cocktails, original appetizers and premium coffees.

Les Studios de Paris Cité du cinéma

Located in Saint-Denis, north of the city, a spectacular power plant was commissioned in 1933 to power the Parisian metro. It closed down in 1981. In the 1990s, during the shoot of his successful movie Léon, Luc Besson noted this abandoned place and thought immediately of its transformation into a major center of film production in Europe. France is the leading producer of films in Europe, but so far, there was no studio to challenge other European studios, such as Pinewood or Cinecitta. Les Studios de Paris Cité du Cinéma integrates the whole supply chain of movie working. In the spirit of the original building, the Cité du Cinéma keeps an industrial soul that combines Art Déco and modern art.

Disney Studios, the cinema park

Disney Studio is the third theme park near the city behind Disneyland and Parc Asterix. A must, it seriously suffers from the competition of Disneyland. Cinema lovers should visit this park giving full insight into how movies are madeThere are many great attractions at Disney Studios. We like very much Ratatouille, the newest attraction, the fantastic Stunt Show, the Tram Tour and the Tower of Terror.

Disney Studio guided tour from Paris
Disney studios facts.

Films set in Paris

As one of the most scenic cities in the world, Paris is also the location of many movies. Scenes of the Last Tango in Paris (1972) were shot in Tour Montparnasse. Rush Hour 3 (2007) was partly filmed in Charles de Gaulle Airport. Da Vinci Code (2006) was partly made in the Louvre Museum. Lucy (2014) was made in Cité du Cinéma. Moonraker (1979) was partly shot in Centre Pompidou. Midnight in Paris (2011) and Mission Impossible 6 are two recent American movies made in Paris. The French government has adapted the tax level on shootings and the city is now back as one of the most attractive locations for films.