SPECIAL GUEST 2020

 

Cinémathèque française

UNLEASH YOUR LOVE FOR CINEMA

cinematheque.fr

 
In 1936, the visionary Henri Langlois founded the Cinémathèque française in order to preserve scores of films, costumes, sets, posters and other treasures from the world of cinema. This made him the first person to think of cinema as an art to be preserved, restored and showcased. Eight decades later, in a boldly modern building designed by Frank Gehry and wholly devoted to the cinematic  arts, the Cinémathèque française draws on the most extensive cinematic collection in the world to exhibit cinema in its own unique way, through a series of activities, which are only increasing in number.

The Cinémathèque is a hub of different cinematic tastes, constantly revisiting cinema throughout the ages, across the world and including all genres and boasts 4 theatres (with over 2000 screenings a year, exhibitions, a Museum, a host of meetings with cinema professionals, activities for young people, a library, a bookshop and a restaurant, all for a wide audience.

Outside its walls, the Cinémathèque française also produces or co-produces 5 temporary exhibitions a year around the world from the 500 films or 2,200 items from its collection.
This way, audiences can discover something new, and young people can find out more about the history of cinema every day.
 
One of the finest cinematic collections in the world 40,000 films, 3,000 costumes, 23,000 posters, 14,500 pieces of art, 2,300 items, 6,000 pieces of equipment, and more. The Cinémathèque française stands out through the degree to which it values its archives, equipment, costumes, posters, models and films. Over the years, the Cinémathèque française team have gathered together one of the finest cinematic collections in the world, which is constantly refurbished and added to thanks to the support of donors and patrons.
 

A Trip to the Moon – Art by Georges Méliès

A section of the storyboard from George Lucas' Star Wars by Alex Tavoularis

Jacques Prévert, 1939 - Art by Maurice Henry

Les Cent Une book lover's association

Women book lover's society
 

« Aren't there any women? »

 

The "Les Cent Une" book lover's association was founded in 1926 by princess Schakowskoy after a conversation with a member of the Société des Cent (the Society of One Hundred, a former book lover's society). Over dinner, the princess asked if there were any women members of the association. "The expression she received in return told her all she needed to know about the esteem in which women's intelligence was held. Somewhat insulted, the process declared that she would found a book lover's society for women. In response, the gentleman said he doubted she would find many women interested in a good book. "I won't just find one hundred, but one hundred and one," she shot back. Surely enough, she did."
 

That is how the story goes in the archives of Les Cent Une, and it is a good reflection of the frame of mind into which this new, exclusively female book lover's society came into existence. The name Cent Une (One Hundred and One) was chosen, as fortunately the word for one ("un") has a feminine equivalent in French! The number of members was never to exceed one hundred and one, and the group has been at full strength for several years in a row. Jean Cocteau praised the group's "noble spirit", and Démétrios Galanis drew and engraved the society's bookplate in 1926, and it has been used ever since. Today, Les Cent Une are chaired by Catherine de Vasselot de Régné.
 

The society has been in a flurry of constant activity since. Once every two years, Les Cent Une publish a beautiful book for their 101 members that has been illustrated by a contemporary artist. Throughout its history, the Society and its chairwomen have always taken great care to ensure the quality of the illustrators that are taken on for this, and thanks to this, the tradition of quality and excellence in the society's illustrated books has continued. Throughout the society's ninety-three years of existence, forty-eight books have been published: these books combine original script with a contemporary artist and unfailing production methods with the help of expert bookmakers (papermakers, copperplate printers, typographers).
 

The society's publications include the following highlights: Suzanne and the Pacificby Jean Giraudoux, illustrated by J.E. Laboureur (1927), Alexis by Marguerite Yourcenar, illustrated by Dali (1971), and Adriana Mater, the first edition of Amin Maalouf's opera libretto, illustrated by Miguel Condé (2006), and its latest creation; La Maison du Lys de France by Gérard Manset, illustrated by François Schuiten. After over 90 years, Les Cent Une is one of the oldest book lover's associations in France, behind the Société des bibliophiles françois (1820) and les Amis du livre contemporain (1903). The society is the only one that is exclusively for women.
 

The society has been cubically recognised at two exhibitions: one organised in 2011 by the Château de Chantilly library, Femmes bibliophiles, de Catherine de Médicis à la duchesse d’Aumale [women book lovers, from Catherine de' Medici to the Duchess of Aumale], and a lovely retrospective exhibition at the town hall of the 6th arrondissement of Paris, during which the society was able to present all of its editions.

www.lescentune.com

Les Cent Une's bookplate, by Galanis © Cent Une

La Maison du Lys de France, by Gérard Manset, illustrated by François Schuiten, 2017 © Cent Une

De quoi parlent les chimpanzés, Boris Cyrulnik, illustrated by Antoine Poupel, 2015 © Cent Une

Adriana Mater, opera by Amin Maalouf, illustrated by Miguel Condé, 2005 © Cent Une

Kholstomer, Tolstoy, illustrated by Boris de Schloezer, 1982 © Cent Une