Montpellier: with Gaumont and Chassol, the Halle Tropisme makes its cinema

From May 7 to 26, the Halle Tropisme organized its traditional festival by presenting a summary of its activities: exhibitions, workshops, concerts, evenings, culinary events… With this year, the movie theater as a common thread with the collaboration of Gaumontthe oldest cinema company in the world, and the participation of musician Chassol.

Red carpet at the cinema

For its annual festival, the Halle Tropisme opens its doors wide in Gaumont. “It’s very consistent that we are here because both entities defend creativity and have a particular attachment to the talents of yesterday, today and tomorrow,” explains Gautier Chaussat, director of the Gaumont brand. Created in 1895 and originally dedicated to the sale of photographic equipment, although it only has a few cinemas in France, its film catalog is rich in more than 1,600 works. “We imagined this common thread around cinema, always trying to go back and forth between great emblematic figures who have marked us from our childhood until today and a contemporary look with Chassol” explains Vincent Cavaroc, director of the Halle Tropisme.

The exhibition “Gaumont, since cinema existed”, an expanded version of that presented at La Gaité Lyrique, and the “Gaumontrama VR” system, an immersion in virtual reality in the 1930s to discover the legendary Parisian art deco room Gaumont Palace, the largest cinema in the world until 1972, will allow you to go back in time and immerse yourself in the memories and emotions shared in front of the big screen. Who says cinema, of course says projection. Three free open-air screenings are planned for a Ciné Gaumont under the stars with the preview of “Quasi legal” by Max Mauroux in the presence of the film team (Tuesday May 14 at 9:30 p.m.), a carte blanche to the public who must choose between “The boys and Guillaume at the table” by Guillaume Gallienne or “Camille redouble” by Noémie Lvovsky (Wednesday May 15 at 9:30 p.m. The public can vote on tropisme.coop) and a classic to bring together all age groups with “ Le grand restaurant” by Jacques Besnard (Thursday May 16 at 9:30 p.m.).

In 2003, the musician Chassol designed the theme of the Gaumont daisy logo. Twenty years later, he takes a look at the film catalog through an exhibition, a concert and a sound brunch. “Les Marguerites Gaumont” presents around fifteen reworked and musicalized extracts where the dialogues become scores, rhythms and melodies. A device – ultrascores – which will come to life on stage on Tuesday May 7 (8:30 p.m.-10 p.m.: €18 or €20 on site) with a live performance by Chassol surrounded by his organs and pianos, a drummer and a screen giant. The next day, the musician will participate in a culinary experience during which he will share a meal, the menu of which he designed in connection with his story, and a discussion (Wednesday May 8, 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m., €25 by reservation).

Voguing and Alain Damasio

In the rich program, several appointments are to be ticked on the diaries with first of all the voguing ball “Pink & white Ball” with “the legendary” Vinii Revlon for battles on a catwalk combining fashion and dance in a totally crazy atmosphere (Sunday May 11, 6 p.m.-10 p.m., free). A workshop is also offered in the afternoon to learn about the practice of vogue fem before going on stage (Sunday May 12, 4 p.m.-5 p.m., free on reservation).

An equally festive and committed event, one of the most successful evenings at the Halle Tropisme, Folle de Rage, the 100% pop music and drag show ball is back to spread a lot of love (Sunday May 26, 4 p.m. – 10 p.m., Early: €10, Normal: €15, Late: €20). The Montpellier collective Breakers, dedicated to hip-hop and urban cultures, is organizing its first major event with the “Tribe Tales Chapter 1: Parallele Big Bang”, a team battle that a DJ will continue with funk and hip-hop programming. , afro and soul (Saturday May 18, 4 p.m.-10 p.m., €12).

As part of the Comédie du Livre, the writer Alain Damasio will offer a meeting with Floriane Pochon, creator of the platform for sound creations of all kinds Phaune Radio which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and the author Luvan on the importance of sound in our contemporary societies (Friday May 17, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., free) and a concert with the Palo Alto group (Friday May 17, 8:30 p.m.-10 p.m., free).

Concerts and evenings

Another concert, and curiosity, that of Doc Gynéco (Saturday May 25, 7:30 p.m., €28), who thirty years later revives “Première consultation”, his first album which marked the history of French rap. The electro music scene of the great south is also in the spotlight with DJs 1heure42 and Mendi (Thursday May 19, 7 p.m., free), Azamat B and Pura Pura (Wednesday May 8, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., free), or during of the open air evening of the Magie Noire label with Sabor a mi, followed by Camion Bazar, Luca Ruiz and Maco (Sunday May 19, 4 p.m.-10 p.m., before 5 p.m.: €11.99, Regular: €14.99, On site: 18€). In other registers, the afroplugged of Emma Lamadji (Friday May 19, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., free), the reggae-jazz of Irie Jahzz who will be surrounded by DJ Adroner and DJ Kbira for a more dancehall side (Saturday 11 May, 5 p.m.-10 p.m., €10) or Coco Groove as part of Montpellier Jazz Week (Wednesday May 22, 8 p.m.-10 p.m., free).

We will also find evenings like the Tropik’Halle dedicated to Afro-Caribbean and Latin American cultures (Friday May 19, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., free), the Baile Sound Sistema with the legend of the Portuguese-speaking Afro-electronic scene Batida as DJ set and the Afro-Brazilian music specialists Al3ph and Mabrada (Friday May 24, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m., Early: €8, normal: €10, on site: €15) and of course the Gipsy Party (Tuesday May 21, 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., free) with neighbors from the Cap Gély association which allows you to get a taste of the international Mosaïque Gipsy Bohème festival planned for the fall.

Workshop Night

A stand-up evening (Thursday May 23, 8:30 p.m.-10 p.m., 8 p.m.), different variations around cooking (Kebab chef, Tropisme food court, Le grand restaurant menu, giant brasucade, etc.) and workshops for children around the music and cinema complete a rich program without forgetting the traditional Workshop Night (Friday May 10, 6 p.m., free) during which artists and collectives welcome the public within their 1,800m² work and experimentation spaces for exhibitions, performances and DJ sets… Tropisme Workshops which will also open their doors this weekend (Saturday May 11, 2 p.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday May 12, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., free).

Finally, as with each edition of its festival, the Halle Tropisme is inaugurating a new space (Saturday May 25, 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m., free). After the Emmaüs and Secours Populaire stations, the Culturôtoit association is setting up an urban farm of 600m on one end of the land² in hydroponics to grow flowers, fruits and vegetables which will be used in restaurants.

Halle Tropisme, 121 rue de Fontcouverte, Montpellier. Program, information and online tickets at tropisme.coop. Inauguration of the festival and opening of the exhibitions Tuesday May 7 at 6:30 p.m. (free).

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon -.