Moments in cinema history

In memory of Tony Gatlif

We were planning to invite Tony Gatlif to introduce his splendid film, Latcho Drom, but unfortunately, he passed away. We will thus pay tribute to him together.


From Silent to Sound: Gustav Machaty

During the transition between silent films and talkies, Machatý advanced sensual and daring cinema, paying extra attention to the desires and torments of his characters.

Our thanks to the Czech National Archives


Remembering Tonie Marshall

To mark the release of Olivier Bomsel’s book, Toto (Séguier, Arte), we take a glance back at the world of Tonie Marshall, who was a longtime supporter of the festival.

> TALK Remembering Tonie Marshall

Sunday, October 11 at 5:30pm - Village Cinéma conference room – Village Talks
Meet Olivier Bomsel, author of the book Toto (2026, Arte / Séguier), followed by a book signing
A producer, director, screenwriter and the first woman to receive a César Award for Best Director, Tonie Marshall left her mark on French cinema with her unique gaze and her independence. Olivier Bomse, her husband of over thirty years, reminisces about this side of “Tonie,” recounting her life and legacy in his book Toto, a tribute to this artist whose influence still remains strong today. 

The Cinema Village at Cité de la Métropole de Lyon, Lyon 2nd
> Tickets  (Free admission; tickets must be collected from the ticket office.)

Tontaine et Tonton by Tonie Marshall (2000, 55min)

Followed by Soin thanatos – An episode from the series Vénus et Apollon by Pascal Lahmani (2005, 26 min)

Alexandre (Patrick Pineau) and Joseph (Éric Petitjean) are rivals to win the love of Justine (Emmanuelle Devos), but she lives only for François Mitterrand... A lighthearted comedy that puts romantic desire up against political passion! Followed by Venus and Apollo – an episode from the series by Pascal Lahmani.


Clara Bow, the "it-girl" of Hollywood

An icon of the Roaring Twenties and a star of the silent silver screen, Clara Bow brought a new twist to modernity, with a new take on freedom, and a new magnetism to movies. In the film It, she became the original embodiment of the “it-girl,” inaugurating the term for a liberated and irresistible generation, still very much in use today. 

> TALK Clara Bow, the star of silent cinema 

Thursday, October 15 at 11am - Village Cinéma conference room – Village Talks
By Martin Barnier, film historian (University of Lyon 2), in conjunction with the film concert It, organized by the Lumière film festival and the Auditorium of Lyon.
An icon of silent cinema and a beloved phenomenon of the Roaring Twenties, Clara Bow single-handedly created the notion of the “It Girl,” exemplifying both a free-spirited nature and a dazzling on-screen presence. Martin Barnier will trace the path of the actress who was forgotten far too quickly. He plaices her work within the context of a Hollywood of silent film, already spectacular, as a prelude to the film concert.

The Cinema Village at Cité de la Métropole de Lyon, Lyon 2nd
> Tickets  (Free admission; tickets must be collected from the ticket office.)

It by Clarence G. Badger (1927, 1h22)

When a new director takes over his father’s position as the head of a department store, a young salesgirl unleashes her charm with the goal of seducing him… A bona fide icon, Clara Bow becomes the original “It girl” in film history, starring in this delicious comedy, a resounding success of the Roaring Twenties.


Tribute to André Malraux

To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of André Malraux – the writer, social activist, and later Minister of Cultural Affairs – we take a look back at his sole film, shot during the Spanish Civil War.


Pathé: A French Company

A celebration of one of the movie studios that has shaped the history of French cinema and has carried forward its influence since 1896.

> TALK Pathé, the story of a French company

Thursday, October 15 at 5pm - Village Cinéma conference room – Village Talks
Lecture by Jacques Gerber, film historian
A year after Auguste and Louis Lumière shot their first film in Lyon, Charles and Émile Pathé founded their company in 1986. It would become one of the very first industrial powerhouses of the cinema industry and dominate global production well before 1914. Jacques Gerber traces this extraordinary adventure, from the company’s origins to the pre-war period: its early days, the rise of an industrial and artistic empire, and how Pathé has shaped cinema, both in France and abroad.

The Cinema Village at Cité de la Métropole de Lyon, Lyon 2nd
> Tickets  (Free admission; tickets must be collected from the ticket office.)

The Opportunists by Louis Daquin (Les Arrivistes, 1960, 1h49)

During the Restoration, a former Officer of Napoleon, whose greed knows no bounds, sets his sights on his uncle’s fortune…A captivating adaptation of Balzac’s book La Rabouilleuse (The Black Sheep/The Two Brothers), it employs historical reenactment to draw a portrait of human ambition.


Warner Bros. Launches Clockwork

Censored for more than half a century, this legendary British film returns in its definitive version, restored in 4K thanks to Clockwork, the new distribution and production label of Warner Bros. for independent and arthouse cinema.

Ken Russell’s the Devils by Ken Russell (1971, 1h54, int -16ans)

In 17th-century France, a lecherous priest who opposes Cardinal Richelieu finds himself at the heart of the torment, accused of witchcraft… Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed star in this highly controversial œuvre featuring unapologetic flamboyance, inspired by the real-life case of the possessed women of Loudun, France.


Documentaries on the Cinema

A selection of previously unscreened documentaries to help you dive deeper into the history of cinema.


New publications

Books, films, and their authors: discussions and book signings featuring new releases on Georges Lautner and François de Roubaix, extended on the big screen.

> TALK Georges Lautner, the professional eye

Monday, October 12 at 3pm - Village Cinéma conference room – Village Talks
Meet Sylvain Perret, author of the book Georges Lautner, l’oeil du professionnel (2026, Carlotta), followed by a book signing
From Crooks in Clover to Cop or Hood, Georges Lautner has shaped a style of beloved movies that are both inventive and immediately recognizable. Director Sylvain Perret looks back on the director's career and his savoir-faire as a filmmaker in a work that lets readers rediscover Lautner’s oeuvre through the eyes of a professional.

The Cinema Village at Cité de la Métropole de Lyon, Lyon 2nd
> Tickets  (Free admission; tickets must be collected from the ticket office.)

> BOOKS
Georges Lautner, l’œil du Professionnel by Sylvain Perret (Carlotta)

> BOOKS
François de Roubaix : un caméléon sous la mer
by Simon Lec’hvien (The Jokers)