« Cinema is my culture! »
 

PostED ON 18.10.2025

Alexandre Mérieux, a true cinephile from Lyon and President of bioMérieux, a partner of the festival, talks to us about Lumière!

What is the nature of the partnership between bioMérieux and the Lumière film festival?

It’s a long-term partnership with the festival, which showcases Lyon and the Rhône-Alpes region. That is important. These are both the roots of our company, bioMérieux, for 130 years, and the history of Lumière. The two things were born at around the same time, in the same place. It’s wonderful to see that things endure and remain rooted in their place of origin.

What do you like about the festival?

Its wide, accessible appeal. It attracts all kinds of audiences. I also like the fact that it showcases memorable films that have retained their power years down the line or taken on a new meaning. You also have the opportunity to discover forgotten films, as well as premieres of new films. I saw James Gray present Armageddon Time (2022), Tarantino set the night alight in Lyon, and Jean-Paul Belmondo arrive at the Halle Tony Garnier to the music of Ennio Morricone from The Professional (Georges Lautner, 1981). We were all stunned. Finally, I really enjoyed listening to Bertrand Tavernier's encyclopaedic analyses of cinema.

What films have you discovered at the festival?

Scarecrow (Jerry Schatzberg, 1973) with Gene Hackman and Al Pacino, The End of the Day (Julien Duvivier, 1939), and in terms of newer films, The Innocent by Louis Garrel (2022). I'm interested in this mix of new and classic films.

From the 2025 edition?

I'm a fan of Michael Mann and Sean Penn! I've seen Heat (1995) several times. I really like Miami Vice(2006), which is very stylish, and I can watch The Last of the Mohicans (1992) over and over again just for the ending! I love Sean Penn's intense acting. He has an incredible filmography, including as a filmmaker with The Indian Runner (1990) and Into the Wild (2007). This year, I'm also intrigued by the retrospective dedicated to Martin Ritt. I've seen The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965). I'd like to see Norma Rae(1979). 

And the Lumière brothers' films?

I was familiar with The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station (1895). Thanks to the festival, I’ve discovered many of the films shot around the world. They are magnificent and moving testimonies. With this fixed and very short format, you get straight to the point. It's already cinema! Beautiful pieces of cinema!

© DR
Le Dernier des Mohicans (1992)