An arthouse cinema is about to be bought by its former residents

The defense group for La Cleve Cinema, which has occupied the Parisian hall for more than two years, announced on Wednesday that it had signed a purchase agreement and re-launched a fund-raising appeal to raise 600,000 euros, with the hope of reopening it. . in January 2024.

The collective “La Clef Revival” entered into an agreement before the notary to purchase the building of 800 square meters for 2.9 million euros for 4.2 million initially. The purchase agreement is valid for six months.

Meanwhile, to complete a secured bank loan, the group re-launch an appeal to donors to raise €600,000. A fundraising campaign aimed at the general public, which is still ongoing, has so far raised €200,000.

Sponsors, including figures from the seventh art, have already contributed €600,000.

“This is the beginning of the countdown: the endowment fund must collect the entire amount before October 26, 2023,” affirmed representatives of the group, “to make this neighborhood cinema a public good, which will allow it to withdraw once and for all from speculative pressures.”

In view of the completion of the acquisition and reopening, it was agreed with the National Cinema Center (CNC) to establish a ticket office with free prices, in accordance with the collective defense philosophy.

The reopening project includes daily performances as well as photo education workshops, an association café and a screenwriting residency.

Directors and actors Mathieu Amalric, Olivier Assayas, Ruben Campello, Leos Carax, Alain Cavaliere, Agnès Jaoui and even American director Martin Scorsese are among the supporters and benefactors of the “La Clef Revival” collective.

“In recent years, La Clef has been occupied by people loyal to the art of cinema. The owners want to sell it without worrying too much about what will happen to this hall at a time when it is becoming difficult for cinemas to survive. It’s a video appeal for donations released Wednesday to all members,” Scorsese said in a video appeal for donations. La Cliff Revival,” know that the filmmakers here in the States have your back.

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“I’ll get straight to the point: La Clef must remain a cinema,” he insists in a column in the Liberation daily. “The building must be saved and the floodlights kept running — period, end of story.”

From September 2019 to March 2022, this art cinema located in the Latin Quarter, the last assembly hall in Paris, was occupied by a group of citizens and film lovers—eventually evicted—in exchange for a real estate operation that would have led to his existence. vanishement.

The Caisses d’Epargne Works Council owns the building.

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