The Studio des Ursulines is a cinema in the 5th

arrondissement An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, and certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissem ...

of Paris, at No.10, Rue des Ursulines. It is one of the oldest cinemas in Paris to have kept its facade and founder's vision: to offer a venue for art and experimental cinema. Gilles Renouard of Paris Cinéphile describes it as 'an astonishing experience' for its nostalgic associations and being able to be within 3 metres of the screen if you sit in the balcony. It has 1 screen.

History

Founding

In 1925, actors Armand Tallier and Laurence Myrga choose the small rue des Ursulines to establish a cinema to specialize in avant-garde films and catered to

art house An art film, arthouse film, or specialty film is an independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made prima ...

audiences. Thus, the first avant-garde cinema in France was born, a precursor to the now established system of "Art et Essai." The cinema opened January 21, 1926. Films by

André Breton André Robert Breton (; ; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') ...

Man Ray Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American naturalized French visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealism, Surrealist movements, ...

Fernand Léger Joseph Fernand Henri Léger (; February 4, 1881 – August 17, 1955) was a French painting, painter, sculpture, sculptor, and film director, filmmaker. In his early works he created a personal form of cubism (known as "tubism") which he gradually ...

René Clair René Clair (; 11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette (), was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. H ...

and

Robert Desnos Robert Desnos (; 4 July 1900 – 8 June 1945) was a French poet who played a key role in the Surrealist movement. Early life Robert Desnos was born in Paris on 4 July 1900, the son of a licensed dealer in game and poultry at the '' Halles'' ma ...

were shown.

Premieres

Between January 1926 and December 1957, a wide range of now-classic films premiered at the theater, such as

's ''Le Voyage Imaginaire'', Von Stroheim’s ''

Greed Greed (or avarice, ) is an insatiable desire for material gain (be it food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions) or social value, such as status or power. Nature of greed The initial motivation for (or purpose of) greed and a ...

'',

Von Sternberg Von Sternberg may refer to: * Josef von Sternberg (1894–1969), American film director * Kaspar Maria von Sternberg (1761–1838), Bohemian theologian and botanist * Ungern-Sternberg The Ungern-Sternberg family or von Ungern-Sternberg is an ol ...

’s ''

The Blue Angel ''The Blue Angel'' () is a 1930 German musical comedy-drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings and Kurt Gerron. Written by Carl Zuckmayer, Karl Vollmöller and Robert Liebmann, with uncredite ...

'',

Roberto Rossellini Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini (8 May 1906 – 3 June 1977) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer. He was one of the most prominent directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing to the movement with films such a ...

’s’ ''Amore'' and

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American ...

'' A Girl in Every Port''. In 1958 it showed work by

Satyajit Ray Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, author, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligraphy, calligrapher, and composer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influ ...

Andrzej Wajda Andrzej Witold Wajda (; 6 March 1926 – 9 October 2016) was a Polish film and theatre director. Recipient of an Honorary Oscar, the Palme d'Or, as well as Honorary Golden Lion and Honorary Golden Bear Awards, he was a prominent member of the "P ...

Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as "profoun ...

and

Luis Buñuel Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish and Mexican filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico and Spain. He has been widely considered by many film critics, historians and directors to be one of the greatest and ...

. It is one of two cinemas in central Paris whose facades have not been significantly altered.

The scandal of 1928

In 1928, it premiered the first film of

Germaine Dulac Germaine Dulac (; born Charlotte Elisabeth Germaine Saisset-Schneider; 17 November 1882 – 20 July 1942)Flitterman-Lewis 1996 was a French filmmaker, film theorist, journalist and critic. She was born in Amiens and moved to Paris in early chil ...

, taken from a story by

Antonin Artaud Antoine Maria Joseph Paul Artaud (; ; 4September 18964March 1948), better known as Antonin Artaud, was a French artist who worked across a variety of media. He is best known for his writings, as well as his work in the theatre and cinema. Widely ...

, ''The Seashell and the Clergyman''. The film was heckled by the surrealists

and

Louis Aragon Louis Aragon (; 3 October 1897 – 24 December 1982) was a French poet who was one of the leading voices of the Surrealism, surrealist movement in France. He co-founded with André Breton and Philippe Soupault the surrealist review ''Littératur ...

, leading to a fight that stopped the screening. Tallier did not call the police and the film screened a few weeks later. Tallier became associated in the 1950s with the creation of the Art et Essai, movement with the birth of l’AFCAE (Association Française des Cinémas d’Art & d’Essai) in 1955.

Twenty-first century

Since March 2003, the majority of the cinema's daytime programming is aimed at the 'Art & Essai’ public, especially younger audiences. In the evening

animation Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...

and cinéclub (film club) screenings dominate.

In film

* One of the last scenes of

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French filmmaker, actor, and critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. He came under the tutelage of film critic Andre Bazin as a ...

’s ''

Jules et Jim ''Jules and Jim'' ( ) is a 1962 French New Wave romantic drama film directed, produced and co-written by François Truffaut. Set before, during, and after World War I, it follows a tragic love triangle involving French bohemian Jim ( Henri Se ...

'' takes place at the Studio des Ursulines, where the three main characters meet by chance. * The end of the film ''

Chantrapas ''Chantrapas'' ( ka, შანტრაპა) is a 2010 Georgian drama film written and directed by Otar Iosseliani. The film was selected as the Georgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards, but it did not make ...

'' and a scene in '' Après mai'' were shot there.

References

External links

* Tumulte aux Ursulines, d'Alexandre Deschamps, Nicolas Droin, Laurent Navarri, 15 minutes, 2007, an interview between Alain Virmaux and Prosper Hillairet, at the Studio des Ursulines, on the fuss concerning the Première of La Coquille et le Clergyman. * Studio des Ursulines Armand Talllier et le studio des Ursulines A.F.C.A.E publié en 1963. {{coord, 48.8427, N, 2.3419, E, source:wikidata, display=title 1926 establishments in France Cinemas in Paris Theatres completed in 1926 5th arrondissement of Paris