When the people of Lyon are asked what makes them proudest, gastronomy spontaneously comes out on top. And with good reason! With its many restaurants, including the famous bouchons, beaujolais nouveau and 1001 traditions, Lyon is definitely a city where the stomach never sleeps. But after a good meal, what could be better than a good time? Our ancestors understood this when they invented cinema, the world’s most powerful catalyst for entertainment and emotion.
On the occasion of the Césars (and Oscars) ceremony, let’s go back 130 years… Since this is where it all began, Lyon is forever linked to what remains today the greatest source of magic for billions of people worldwide.
Lyon, history’s first Hollywood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TwV4uCrDhY
With the invention of the cinematograph, the Lumière brothers were quick to recognize the revolutionary potential of their discovery. In 1895, they shot a series of ten films, including La Sortie de l’Usine Lumière, L’Arroseur arrosé and Le Repas de bébé. From the very first screenings, their success was dazzling. Auguste and Louis Lumière found themselves in the spotlight, and realized they had just given birth to a new language. At the dawn of a cinematic revolution, Hollywood did not yet exist… and Lyon was already the cradle of the 7ᵉ art.
Cinema in Lyon “Actyon!”
Lyon’s history of cinema is unique. Simply because it is the oldest relationship between a city and the 7ᵉ art. Over the years, the “City of Light” has cultivated this heritage, making cinema a veritable spearhead of its cultural heritage. From Jean-Pierre Melville to Olivier Marchal, not forgetting Bertrand Tavernier (of course), the list of directors who have filmed in its streets is a long one. But beyond the film shoots, it’s the Lyonnais’ love of cinema that leaves its mark. Year-round festivals, the Institut Lumière, the film museum, not to mention the cinemas, which continue to break attendance records. Lyon, more than ever, remains the city of the 7ᵉ art.
130 years of cinema
In 130 years, cinema has shaped society and inspired billions of spectators around the world. Far beyond the immense financial windfall it represents today, it remains above all a unique vector of emotion. Despite the rise of new communication channels, cinema retains an untouchable place in the collective unconscious and popular culture. Cannes, James Bond, Tarantino, Marilyn Monroe… all stem from a single scene. Shot 130 years ago, on a street in Lyon’s 3ᵉ arrondissement: La Sortie de l’Usine Lumière.