Par
Estelle Maskowycz
Published on
Jan 12, 2025 at 5:56 p.m.
At the Café des images in Hérouville Saint-Clair, near Caen (Calvados), people who have limited means can benefit from free tickets, offered by other spectators. This concept is progressing from year to year.
Suspended tickets, a story of solidarity
In this small arthouse cinema, solidarity actions are going well. But that of suspended tickets has become emblematic.
Made in Italie
The “suspended product” comes straight from Naples, Italy. This solidarity action, which was initially reserved for coffee consumption, has spread widely to other products. It was in Naples, in the 1950s, that residents began paying for a coffee, in addition to their own, so that it could be offered to a person in need.
For the Café des images, implementing this action was obvious. Juliana Feral, responsible for cultural development and cinema audiences, talks about the simplicity of this action: “At the ticket office, you just have to pay for an extra ticket at a price of €3.50. It’s a small gesture that makes a big difference for some people who can’t afford a seat to watch a movie. And for us, it costs absolutely nothing to offer it. »
More than 850 tickets offered in three years
At the beginning, only around fifty suspended tickets were purchased per year. But over the past three years, sales have increased to reach more than 850 tickets: 339 tickets in 2022, 216 in 2023 and 310 in 2024.
That’s almost one ticket per day. It’s great.
Beneficiaries do not need to provide any proof, simply request a place at reception, subject to available tickets.
For the Café des Images, there is no doubt, the sale of citrus fruits, via the solidarity purchasing group, each month on Hello Asso contributes to the success of the system: “When customers order their products, there is a line for suspended tickets. Every month, we have some stock,” explains Juliana.
In partnership with associations
If anyone can go to the cinema box office to request a ticket to watch a film of their choice, the Café des images also works in partnership with associations which benefit from tickets. For Juliana, it’s a way of directly targeting people who would be likely to use it. Thus, popular relief, France terre d’Asile or even Cimade, regularly benefit from the system.
It is a concept that reflects the Café des images: openness to the world and solidarity.
Other products hanging at the cinema
Tickets are not the only ones to be suspended since coffees, but also feminine hygiene products, are too. Per month, around ten coffees are collected in the third place and boxes with hygienic protection are available in the toilets.
To offer a suspended ticket: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/cafe-des-images
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