Which city among Lyon, Cannes, and Paris will welcome the future national cinema museum announced by Culture Minister Rachida Dati? On one hand, Cannes, home to the world's largest film festival, dreams of extending its magic beyond its glittering fifteen days each year. With tens of millions already on the table, the azure city shows fierce determination. But does it have the historical aura needed to become the beating heart of the seventh art all year round? Not so sure.
On the other hand, there's Paris. The capital boasts the French Cinematheque and impressive collections scattered all over the city. A recent report from the Court of Auditors advocates for bringing them together in a single location, a project that has been in the works for ages. Yet, once again, nothing concrete. The Cinematheque seems more attached to its role as a cinephile sanctuary than as a popular national institution.
Lyon, Cannes, and Paris as the capital of cinema?
And then there's Lyon. Where it all began. The city of the Lumière brothers, where the first moving images were born, already boasts a world-renowned institute. Its director, Thierry Frémaux, is an essential figure in cinema, and the town hall is ready to support an ambitious expansion of the Lumière museum. A major European center for photography and an unprecedented enhancement of its heritage collections could transform it into a flagship museum.
So, can Lyon take the lead? “It's a no-brainer,” says Audrey Hénocque, Deputy for Finance and Culture, as reported by Tribune de Lyon. But a national museum requires state funding. For now, all parties are positioning themselves as they await the elections and the government's budget decisions.
One thing's for sure: if cinema were to have a temple, it seems that its address is already written...
Source: Tribune de Lyon
