Best movie theaters in Paris: Forum des Images

Created in 1988, the Forum des Images is a magical place situated in the center of the French capital. This is one of the best movie theaters in Paris that celebrates cinema and moving pictures of all kinds, from fiction movies, documentaries, animated and short films, to television series. Same as the Cinématèque Française, the Forum des Images is a real heaven for movie lovers as well as for children and families, and it is definitely worth visiting.

History of the Forum

Noël Mathieu, known under his pseudonym Pierre Emmanuel, a French poet and the first president of the French National Audiovisual Institute (Institut national de l'audiovisuel - INA), was the man behind the idea of founding the Forum des Images.  In February 1988, the French authorities finally decided to create the very first Parisian Video Library  (La Vidéothèque de Paris). This Video Library was focused only on Paris and its representation in cinema and audiovisual. Eventually, it has changed its name into the Forum des Images and its program has been expanded. This place started to organize meetings devoted to the contemporary independent cinema and from 1999 to 2003 even a biennial of Japanese animated film. The “Series Mania”, an international festival dedicated to TV series, was held in the Forum des Images from 2002 to 2017. Today, this is one of the most important places in Paris devoted to cinema that any cinema lover shouldn’t miss.

CinéKids

Every parent should definitely consider taking their children to the Forum des Images. This magical place is where they can introduce them to the incredible world of the moving pictures. Children will instantly fall in love with the seventh art thanks to the "CinéKids", a program specially dedicated to them. From September to June, every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon, the CinéKids offers a variety of movies for children from 18 months to 7 years old. And, after every projection, the Forum des Images provides them with a snack. From time to time, this movie theater also organizes the “Tout petits cinema” (the Very little cinema), a movie festival for children from 18 months to 4 years old.

Practical information

The Forum des Images, one of the best movie theaters in Paris, is open every day except on Mondays. Since September 2018, this place also houses the very first French TUMO center for creative technologies specially dedicated to youngers from 12 to 18 years old. In this digital creation school, children can learn about film-making, animation, game development, graphic design, 3D modeling, music, programming, and drawing. Good news for the parents: this school is free of charge. For more information and opening times, check the Forum des images TUMO web page.