Sylvie Pichot

QUICK BIO: Back in the day, as a child, Sylvie Pichot used to go see Spartacus and Once Upon a Time in the West on the giant half-circular screen at the former Lyon Fairgrounds. It was a legendary venue for all film buffs in the metropolitan area. Thanks to a knowledgeably film-loving father, Sylvie Pichot grew up on the shorts featuring the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Since then, the  Villeurbanne native has kept up a family tradition: “Every Tuesday is movie day. For me, nothing can replace the movie theater; it’s a unique experience.” A fan of Clint Eastwood and Isabelle Huppert, the Mions resident is also a hyperactive volunteer at regional sporting events: handing out race bibs at the SaintéLyon race and serving as the accreditation coordinator for the Lyon events of the 2024 Olympic Games and the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Retired from the Lyon Metropolitan Area, where she worked as an executive assistant in finance and later in water management, Sylvie has been helping with blood drives in her town for several years. “Building connections, helping others, and giving my time to events or causes that I care about, that’s what I love about volunteering.” This philosophy makes Sylvie a perfect new addition to the festival team.

MY FAVORITE FILMMAKERS: I love all of Clint Eastwood’s movies; they’re powerful works that are always grounded in reality. And I’m a huge fan of Michel Blanc, both as an actor and as a director. He makes me laugh, then makes me cry, and that’s rare.

THE MOVIE THEATER WHERE I DISCOVERED THE CINEMA: My father and I often went to the Cinéma Journal, which was located near what is now the Pathé Bellecour. We also went to the movie theater at the old Lyon Fairgrounds, with that huge, curved screen! It was incredible!

MY GO-TO FILM: Ghost by Jerry Zucker. This film has it all: it’s so touching and funny. Plus the pottery scene is legendary!

ON VOLUNTEERING: I started volunteering in 2019 with the festival committee of the town of Mions, where I’m a resident, and with the Volunteers’ Association. For the past three years, I have been in charge of blood drives in my town.

MY MISSIONS AT THE FESTIVAL: Working at the bar at the Lumière Villa and the Cinema Village and greeting visitors at the museum gift shop.

  — Interview by Laura Lépine