Gaillac. For 21 years, the European Cinema Festival has been in full swing

For twenty-one years, the European Cinema Festival has been one of the major events of the Gaillac year. For four days, Imagin’Cinémas is packed (5,000 spectators, all paying, there are no accreditations). People come from far away and it is better to book early, especially for evenings combining films and buffets. “We don’t use the word “full”, because there will always be places in the screenings, even those in the evenings. On the other hand, for the passport at €54 or the “film evening + buffet” passes at €15, it’s quickly full,” says the manager of Imagin’Cinémas. “People sometimes tell me that it’s not expensive. I answer: that’s also why it’s successful.” The programming of 24 films from 12 nationalities (over 33 screenings) was preceded by nine months of viewing (nearly 50 films) before making the final choice. The 400 shots, 60 of whom will be mobilized during the festival, watched several films in September. “There are no achievements. Every year it’s a fresh start, but with constant values: curiosity, discovery, conviviality.”

The 400 shots at the maneuver

This edition will offer eight previews, a “cinema café” on Sunday morning (Bellissima, by Visconti, with an extraordinary Anna Magnani), a trailer by Jérémie Gardelli, who always surprises with its rhythm and editing, three evenings ” favorites”, the opening one on “Maja, a Finnish epic, Thursday October 10, a German (Friday October 11 at 7 p.m., with “La Belleaffaires”), a Belgian on Saturday 12 at 7 p.m. (“La most precious of goods”), and the closing evening Sunday October 13 at 6 p.m. with either “En fanfare” or “My favorite cake”. There will even be the “surprise film of the festival”, Saturday October 12 at 10 a.m. The European Cinema Festival will mobilize the two large rooms of the complex (1 and 4): the other two will be dedicated to current programming. In total, during this week – the busiest of the year – these are. more than 7,000 spectators who will pass through the doors of Imagin’Cinémas, exchange their impressions in the hall and make an appointment for the following year.