Today in La Ciotat, the oldest cinema in the world, the Eden, is re-opening. I can’t wait to see the restored building.
This photo shows the dilapidated building back in the spring of 2012 when we walked past there. A dedicated group of locals was determined to save the cinema and the MP2013 programme was key to making it happen. The 6m€ budget came from regional authorities and the Ministry of Culture: the centre is part of drive to capitalise on the attractions of the area, not only for tourists but also for film-makers. The opening ceremony tonight with Juliette Binoche as MC will be showing the Lumiere Brothers’ film of a train arriving in La Ciotat which so terrified the very first audience back on 21st March 1899. Lots of background on the cinema itself and surrounding activities here http://www.mp2013.fr/evenements/2013/10/re-opening-of-the-eden-theatre/?lang=en
Right up-to-date now, the Renoir is showing from today, La Vie d’Adele which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. This love-story between two young girls garnered fulsome praise from the UK critics – I wonder what the Lumiere Brothers would have made of it!
Tomorrow afternoon, the Renoir has a 4th showing of Pompei, the film of this summer’s blockbuster exhibition at the British Museum in London. It’s such an easy way of seeing an exhibition – no wonder the first 3 sold out – Thursday 10th at 15:40.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the last days of the Grand Atelier du Midi exhibition at the Musée Granet (Aix) and the Musée Longchamps in Marseille. The Granet is going to be open until 23:00 hours on those days for the retardistes as they charmingly call those of us who haven’t seen it. Both of these exhibitions are lovely and well worth a last minute viewing.
Now on to things opening: The ‘Le Corbusier and the Question of Brutalism’ expo begins at the J1 gallery in Marseille on Friday 11th October. It will show 250 original works and runs til 12th January; while in Aix, the 3rd in the series ‘Tisser des Liens’ entitled ‘A Fleur de Peau’ starts on Saturday at the Pavillon de Vendome.
And finally – for something completely different – the Fete de la Courge at Rians. I’m sorry to be missing it this year as it’s such a fun event. Rians is a very untouristy Var village which has lots of community events – a good chance to see a ‘normal’ Provencal village at play! There are stalls of courges, squashes, pumpkins – not sure of the difference but had no idea there were so many types. In the Salle des Fetes they display the largest courge, the strangest shaped courge etc – and outside at long tables, serve soup made from…. You got it! It’s well organised with easy parking in an adjacent field. They even have a fun courge-y website: http://www.fetedelacourgerians.fr/
Enjoy it all!
aixcentric 