France’s smallest cinema, with just 50 seats, closes its doors

THE CINEMA OPERATED FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS France’s smallest cinema, which had just 50 seats and was located in a small village in Île-de-France, has been forced to close its doors due to a

lack of funds. The cinema, called ‘11x20+14’, had been housed in an old farm building in the 400-inhabitant village of Mons-en-Montois (Seine-et-Marne) for almost a quarter of a century.

Local film critic Emmanuel Raspiengeas confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend of October 7-8. He said: “Sad confirmation this weekend…of the closure of the smallest

cinema…hidden for years in this old farm building.” > Triste confirmation ce week-end, de passage dans le village de > Mons-en-Montois chez mon presque frère @F_Pieretti, de la > 

disparition de feu le + petit cinéma d’Ile de France, le 11x20+14 > (vous ne rêvez pas, c’était son nom), caché depuis des années > dans cet ancien corps de ferme 

pic.twitter.com/TODnL7vYr9 >  > — Emmanuel Raspiengeas (@ERaspiengeas) October 8, 2023 The cinema first opened almost 25 years ago by former France TV director, Michel Le Clerc, who is

now aged 93, after he retired. Each week, the cinema screened five or six films. The farmhouse itself has a long history; 234 people are said to have been massacred there by the English

during the Hundred Years' War. This is where the cinema gets its name, as 11x20+14 (11 multiplied by 20, plus 14) = 234. “I was told it would never work,” SAID Mr Le Clerc, who then ran

it for almost 25 years. PROJECTIONS AND THE PANDEMIC However, the cinema began to run into problems in 2017. Mr Le Clerc could no longer afford to pay his projectionist, Benoit - another

film lover - and pay for the much-needed renovation of the old stained glass windows in another part of the farmhouse. He worked on the windows himself between screenings. Benoit initially

agreed to continue working on a voluntary basis, but the subsequent Covid pandemic reduced cinemagoers - and takings - to zero. Despite managing to raise €13,000 via an online crowdfunding

attempt, the cost of running the cinema was still too much, and Mr Le Clerc made the decision to close. ARTHOUSE ON THE UP Despite the cinema’s closure, elsewhere in France, quirky arthouse

cinema appears to be experiencing a boom. Admissions are up 40% compared to last year at independent cinemas that show lesser-seen, less-mainstream films in comparison to blockbusters at

larger chain multiplexes, REPORTS FRANCEINFO. However, very small ‘single screen’ cinemas are largely struggling. Figures from the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animé (CNC),

reported that five closed last year. RELATED STORIES FRANCE NOW HAS OLDEST WORKING CINEMA IN WORLD, DATING TO 1899 CINEMA IN FRANCE FACES DIFFICULT TIMES AS VIEWER NUMBERS DWINDLE

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