Lumière Classics
The selection of restored prints of the Lumière film festival
The Lumière film festival, a major event of classic cinema, will run from Saturday the 11th to Sunday the 19th of October 2025. As tradition dictates, it will feature a selection of the finest restorations of heritage films from around the world. Certain titles will subsequently be rereleased in theatres or republished on video; others will be presented as events or unique opportunities to experience the works on a big screen.
The festival’s overall programming, and this section in particular, enable the Institut Lumière to reaffirm its commitment and support for the cinema of yesterday and today, paying tribute to its history, celebrating its diversity and richness, while bringing together all those who contribute to its preservation and vitality.
The Lumière Classics label was created to showcase these 20th-century film restorations and encourage the widest possible audience to (re)discover them. The films bearing the label may be included in various festival categories, including in the section "New Restorations" as well as in "Treasures and Curiosities".
The label highlights the extensive work carried out by archives, film libraries, rights holders and foundations who endeavour to restore classic films from the history of cinema, as well as lesser-known films that are equally essential to the worldwide cinematographic landscape.
Archives, film libraries, producers, distributors and studios from all over the world are invited to submit their restored films of the year.
Submitting films:
Are you currently working on or have you recently carried out a restoration?
In the near future, do you intend to publish, distribute or broadcast a classic film in a restored print?
Send us your proposals to be considered for the Lumière film festival's selection of the most outstanding restorations of the year and to obtain the Lumière Classics label.
Conditions for participation
1. Proposals must be limited to three entries per organisation and must focus on works created before 1990. A DVD or link allowing unlimited viewing time must be provided upon registration.
2. The films must be screened in exclusivity at the Lumière film festival.
3. The films must be submitted in DCP format and subtitled in French for non-French language films. French films must include English subtitles.
4. If selected, the submitting organisation is also requested to attend the festival with the restoration(s).
5. The material must be available by Friday September 26th.
6. If selected, the Lumière Classics logo must appear on the posters, the promotional material of the film as well as on the DCPs.
How to register a film?
Download the registration form here
Registrations will close on Friday, June 20th. Please send entries prior to this date, with a link to the film with subtitles and a short text (200 characters) about the restoration.
Once the films have been selected, they will be screened in the cinemas of the festival in Lyon and its Metropolitan area.
