Analogue cinema’s future is on the agenda in Seine-Saint-Denis
Meetings through 3 October bring the skills behind film production, projection and preservation into focus.
The first Rencontres du cinéma argentique are scheduled across Saint-Denis and Épinay-sur-Seine from 30 September to 3 October 2026. The programme brings together people who shoot, process, project and preserve film. Its purpose is to develop practical safeguarding measures for a medium whose survival depends on equipment and skills as well as finished works.
The organiser, L’Abominable, describes a heritage initiative begun in 2024 with the CNC and the Club des Collectionneurs du Cinéma. They are preparing work towards inclusion in France’s inventory of intangible cultural heritage, with an inventory document envisaged for 2027. This is an ongoing recognition process. The event announcement should not be mistaken for confirmation of a completed UNESCO inscription.
Preserving a practice as well as a collection
The distinction between preserving films and preserving a practice gives the gathering its particular interest. An archive can hold a reel, but the project also concerns the knowledge needed to make, repair, develop and show it. The organiser’s programme connects laboratories and projection rooms with training, machinery and conservation rather than treating them as separate worlds.
For the public, the MSH Paris Nord listing announces a plenary session on 1 October and a presentation of proposed safeguarding measures at 15:00 on 2 October. The latter offers a chance to hear what emerges from the working groups. The specialist workshops are by invitation, so the whole programme should not be described as unrestricted public access.
What visitors can attend
A visit to the former Éclair laboratories in Épinay-sur-Seine is planned for Saturday 3 October, with registration required. The listings distinguish arrival from the visit itself, so visitors should confirm the latest meeting time with the organiser before travelling. The public events span several venues; a ticket or registration for one activity does not establish admission to all of them.
In its 28 September interview, the CNC explains that eight workshop themes range from filmmaking and laboratories to training, distribution and restoration. It also describes L’Abominable’s Navire Argo project at the former laboratories, intended to combine a shared film lab with an 89-seat projection room. The stated opening target is late 2027, not this week.
This is a programme-based guide, not a review of sessions already held. Its sources are the organiser, a hosting research institution and the supporting film agency, whose roles overlap. The result to watch for is a concrete safeguarding plan after the discussions, rather than treating the gathering itself as proof that analogue cinema’s longer-term difficulties have been solved.
Sources & context
Reporting and reference material used for this article. Context sources do not independently confirm every news claim.
- L’Abominable ↗Primary organiser material: heritage initiative, dates, programme and registration. Not independent reporting.
- MSH Paris Nord ↗Primary host listing: public sessions, invitation-only workshops, venues and practical details. A project partner.
- CNC ↗Institutional interview published 28 September: workshop themes and the future Navire Argo project. The CNC supports the initiative.
Written for WHIF from the linked material. This article does not claim on-the-ground reporting. Our editorial standards.