Paris is home to the world’s largest amount of movie theaters within
one city. Huge multiplexes where Hollywood blockbusters can be seen on
gigantic screens and tiny art house theaters where you can rediscover
old movies. Any week of the year, 200 different films are shown in this
cinema city.
If you want to go for a drink or a stroll on the waterfront before or after the film experience, go to MK2 at the Villette bassin.
One of the city’s most wonderful movie houses is located here, in a
centenarian warehouse with a café terrace on the quay.The building is
an experience in itself. Ancient iron and modern glass panes decorated
with painted words like amour, democratie, femmes and verité.
This is where I saw a dead body for the first time in my life. He
was lying on the sidewalk as the police was sketching him on the ground
and people were rushing by. Just like in the movies. Later, I read that
he had been stabbed in a drug encounter. But just to reassure you: I’ve
been there many times without seeing any dead people!
On summer nights, hanging out along the floodgates all the way from
the 10th arrondissement, arriving early, sipping a green mint sirop,
watching the boats go by.
The theater mainly shows European films, so this is not the place to
catch the latest Rambo flick. MK2 on the Seine is very quality
conscious – or snobbish, if you will - and a short film is often
screened before the actual movie. And there are lots of great French,
Spanish, British and more exotic films to be discovered here.
The wine that is being served in the restaurant and the bar has been
selected by the director Claude Chabrol. I don’t know whether he is a
wine connoisseur. But it’s fine.
By Louise Sandager, exctract from her book PARIS mon amour!, published by Gyldendal.
Go further: Watch movie in the old-style DDR Kino International in Berlin.
