aixcentric

Aix’s first cinema, the Cezanne opened with one ‘salle’ seating 1200.

Aix is France’s most cinephile town with 15 screens in its 3 cinemas.  So how are they coping this year so far?

The latest figures show a 70% drop in ticket sales since the end of June due mainly to the lack of American blockbusters which usually delight the crowds seeking air-conditioned entertainment over the hot summer months.  Family-owned, the Aix cinemas have instead been relying on French films to attract customers.  Jean-Marie Guillame, PDG of the group, told La Provence that it would have been cheaper to shut the cinemas but that they felt it was the right thing to keep going, otherwise we will all end up just watching films on the internet.  That’s an alternative of course, but for me nothing beats the escapism of a couple of hours watching the big screen.

So, the cinemas will keep going with promotions and their successful programme of ”avant-premieres’ which attracts major producers and actors to town. Future plans for 2021 remain to make a 10th screen for the Cezanne and new seats for the Renoir.  In his interview, M Guillame, finished by saying they were looking forward to the new James Bond film to bring in the audiences, but now we know this has been delayed to spring 2021.

Thank goodness France has a stream of home-produced films – 35-40% of national ticket sales – to hopefully keep cinemas afloat.