Cinema: Four things to know about the Jean-Eustache popular cinema universities

Mondays are devoted to historical themes; Thursdays to artistic themes (literature, arts, cinema); Wednesdays to films aimed at young audiences. The series attracts around a thousand subscribers each year, with around 20,000 admissions. Spectators come from all over the department, for what is also a kind of leisure university.

"While cinema attendance is generally down in France, Unipops figures remain stable, or even increase."

"While cinema attendance is generally down in France, Unipops figures remain stable, or even increase," says François Aymé. "This is mainly due to the fact that distributors are offering us films earlier and earlier. They understand that we represent a significant stake, between the screenings at the Jean-Eustache, which often attract 500 people, and the fact that they are broadcast in more than 70 theaters across France." Benchmarks.

1. Favorites in Cannes

A quarter of the program is made up of previews, including a majority of films spotted or awarded at Cannes. With a heavy salvo this fall: "A Simple Accident," Palme d'Or, Thursday, September 11, "Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk," documentary prize (Monday, September 15, in the presence of its director, Sepideh Farsi), "Meteors" and "L'Inconnu de la Grande arche," spotted in the Un Certain Regard selection (Thursday, September 25 and Monday, September 29).

Also of note is "Muganga, the Healer," which opens the season this Monday, with its director, Marie-Hélène Roux, in attendance. This film about a Congolese doctor who treats women victims of sexual violence in the war-torn Congo received three awards at the Angoulême Festival. And for young audiences, "Arco," on October 8. A science-fiction cartoon that won two awards at Annecy, "the equivalent of Cannes for animated cinema," emphasizes Alix Daul.

Another interest of Unipops is to tackle subjects rarely discussed in cinema or elsewhere. Unipop Histoire will thus deal with the "First Algerian War," that of colonization, from 1830 to 1871, on November 10. On the bill, historian Tramor Quemeneur, author of several works on the subject, and "Chronicle of the Years of Embers." "A film that speaks of a later period, precisely because, to our knowledge, this colonization has not been addressed in cinema," admits François Aymé.

There's also a meeting on "green colonialism," "the fact that Africa's natural parks are designed by Westerners, without consulting local populations," explains Alix Daul. The session will take place on December 8, with screenings of "Out of Africa" ​​(3:15 p.m.) and "The Elephant Master" (8:30 p.m.). Or "Berlin, Summer of '42," about a young German woman who fights against Nazism, on March 2. The screening will be accompanied by a lecture by Bordeaux historian Hélène Camarade, who works on the German resistance to Hitler.

And, for the Arts-Literature-Cinema section, a rare documentary on Erik Satie accompanied by a concert by pianist Karol Beffa, on February 26. Dance enthusiasts, a subject rarely covered in cinema, can also reserve their seats for "Relève: histoire d'une création," a documentary on choreographer and dancer Benjamin Millepied (April 30).

Unipops also offer the opportunity to see classic films on the big screen. In this area, young audiences are spoiled with "Donkey Skin" (May 6, in the presence of a costume designer who will explain what her job entails), or "Howl's Moving Castle" (June 3) on the bill at P'tite Unipop. And also two rare Charlie Chaplin films on December 10. "Chaplin, it still works!"

Elsewhere, it's not bad either: "Breathless" on October 2, "More," with the music of Pink Floyd on March 26, "If Versailles Were Told to Me," by Sacha Guitry on June ¹ , "M the Accursed" on June 11. And here again, four rare films by Alfred Hitchcock, shot between 1930 and 1938. That will be on May 28.

4. Very affordable rates

Finally, something new: there's no longer a subscription for the P'tite Unipop. Each screening (film + meeting) costs 8 euros, a single price. For other Unipops, the annual subscription is 45 euros, 78 euros for both. There's even a 5-euro offer for five conferences/meetings for those under 25. It's not breaking the bank.