Les débuts du cinématographe dans le 10e arrondissement

This conference explores the early days of cinema in Paris's 10th arrondissement, where the Lumière brothers' invention first captivated audiences. From 1896, 'animated photographs' were shown in a department store on boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle, a famous café-concert on boulevard de Strasbourg, and a wax museum at Porte Saint-Denis. The world's first cinema was housed in a modest shop rented by Antoine Lumière at Porte Saint-Martin.

Presented by Claude Calvarin, author of a 2026 book on the subject, the talk traces how cinema evolved from a scientific curiosity into a popular attraction. It highlights the transformation of cafés-concerts into dedicated movie theaters and the eventual rise of grand cinemas like the Louxor and the Palais des Glaces in the 1920s. Attendees will gain insight into the vibrant entertainment history of the Grands Boulevards and rue du Faubourg-du-Temple.