Has anyone been to this cinema museum in Paris? I am interested in doing research there (I think it's part of the Henri Langlois museum, or maybe it's the other way around). Anyway, if anyone's been, I'd love to hear about your experience.<BR>Thanks.

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The Cinematheque Francaise is the general French film institute founded by Langlois for film preservation, archival, etc., and it includes the museum. The museum was closed for several years (due to a fire in its old location at Chaillot) and still is, I believe. I was going to go to it last year when in Paris, but it was closed. <BR><BR>The museum is supposed to move to a venue in Bercy, although I think they have some space at or near the Rex theater near the Grands Boulevards metro stop in the 9th arr. where they show films at times. The new museum wasn't scheduled to open until 2004 the last I read. Truffaut studied there, so you are in good company.<BR><BR>Perhaps you've seen this, but here is their web page on educational activities:<BR>http://www.cinemathequefrancaise.com...u/activedu.asp

Thanks for the input, Christina. I am planning a two week trip to Paris at the beginning of January to study film, and I have been trying to dig up all I can about this place. It sounds wonderful. My predicament, however, is that I speak very little French. Do you think I'll be able to access records and documents and view films from their archives without speaking the language? I am particularly interested in French New Wave Cinema--especially Robert Bresson. Do you happen to know if the films in their collection are subtitled? Thanks for any help you can provide.<BR>Jocelyn

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I am just guessing, but since the films in their collection are meant to be the originals, I would imagine none are subtitled as those are only for a foreign market, unless they are not French films. They do have expositions of films from other countries, for example, and those may be subtitled in French (right now they have an exposition of some American films from Cimino and those are subtitled in French).<BR><BR>I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but I think you'd better have some discussions with people pretty soon because I wouldn't expect that you would be able to view films from their archives -- I just don't think they are going to have a private showing for you as that would involve staff labor to run the film, and wear and tear on the film. I just don't know what you'll be allowed to do, but I wouldn't count on that. Maybe they have some video copies of films that you can view and that's what you meant. However, if you just want to see Bresson's films, why don't you get them in the US? I'm guessing you are aware they put out some new copies of them a few years ago and you can get them in the US (New Yorker FIlms has them www.newyorkerfilms.com) and those would be subtitled.<BR><BR>The Cin. Francaise's web site has some email address, I think it would be a good idea to correspond with someone pretty quickly.<BR><BR>I would imagine any documents they have would be in the original language, and in the case of Bresson, probably French, so I think you would have a problem if they would let you look at anything. I would guess the staff there probably know English fairly well, though.<BR><BR>I'm no film expert, but I didn't know Bresson was considered French New Wave (like Malle or Traffaut, both of whom I really like) -- anyway, the Cinematheque Francaise did a retrospective on Bresson's films in 1997 from what I read on the culture ministry's web site. Here is their page on that retrospective<BR>http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/cult...ateurs/17.html <BR><BR>It lists a bibliography, including Bresson's own 1975 book, but I'm sure that's in French, being published by Gallimard.<BR><BR>There is the big French national film library (part of the French National Library) which actually might be a better place for you than the Langlois museum. Their web site is www.bifi.fr and the address is 100 rue du faubourg Saint-Antoine in the 12th arr. At least they are a public library and might be more amenable to helping a student do research. Their web site says they are working in conjunction with the Cin. Francaise to open the new center in Bercy the second half of 2003, but a lot of stuff is in storage now. <BR><BR>So, this Jan. may be an unfortunate time for you to be going for this, but if that's when you have to, what can you do. I think you can see the problem with no knowing French as I believe both the Cin. Francaise and the Bibliotheque du Film's web sites are only in French.<BR><BR>The Bifi is a professional library, of course, and there will be some requirements. I got a library pass in Paris once as a student and they aren't quite as casual over there as in the US (even in neighborhood libraries). If you can't read French, maybe there's no point in going, but the requirements for access say it is reserved for researchers, professionals, and university students of the 2eme cycle (I think that means graduate or professional degrees, not undergrads) and there are requirements about making requests for materials, getting passes, etc.