ÉCU-The European Independent Film Festival

By Jen Wallace

With
the days of Blockbuster well and truly over, Netflix unavailable in
France and the epidemic of dodgy pirated downloading online, ÉCU has
researched alternative and 100% legal ways of watching your favourite
movies in Paris.

With an emphasis on French classics, rarities and
independent
cinema, here are 5 ways to watch movies around the city. (Note: Always
carry ID and proof of address with you, as most libraries will ask to
you to prove you are a Parisian citizen.)

1) The Bilbiothèque François Truffaut- Located in
the Halles at Chatelet, and next to the Forum Des Images (A great place
for screenings, exhibitions and public debates) you can watch a
wonderful selection of films for free in their library. Even if you are
only in Paris for a week you can gain access to their archives. Our
favourite way to watch independent French cinema!

2) Any public library – The best way to watch movies
at home! Here’s how it works – you pay a one off fee of €60 a year and
you can rent ANY film from ANY public library in Paris (including the
Bibliothèque François Truffaut above). The choice is endless.

3) The Cinemathèque Française-
Similar to the Truffaut library, as well as holding fantastic
exhibitions, screening rare classics and having a great bookstore, the
Cinemathèque also has a great library where you can watch films for €3.5
for a day’s access. However, if you are a student under 26 you can pay
€9 for a trimestrial subscription and unlimited access.

4) The Bilbiothèque Nationale Française- Although a
bit more complicated than the other two libraries, and with bizarre
openings hours for Paris’ biggest library, the BNF also has a huge
selection of films to watch. You have to register and get membership
(which perhaps you have already if you are a student) and then pay €8.5
for a three day pass.

The
final stage is asking specific permission to consult the film archives!
But if you are working on a project for school or university, it seems
like a worthwhile investment. And why not browse their entire collection
of Cahiers de Cinéma magazine whilst you are there?

5) Online rental: dvdfly.fr – Similar to Lovefilm
and Netflix, this website delivers DVDs to your door or lets you stream
them online. They have a free trial period so you can test it out and
prices start at €5.95 a month for 2 dvds and up to €300 a year for
unlimited rentals.

http://www.ecufilmfestival.com/en/2011/09/how-to-watch-films-in-france-w...