La Cinémathèque française

What La Cinémathèque française does

La Cinémathèque française is a French non-profit film archive and cultural institution (association loi 1901) founded in 1936, headquartered at 51 Rue de Bercy in Paris's 12th arrondissement. The organization preserves, restores, and exhibits cinematographic heritage through a multi-vertical physical and digital campus that includes three screening rooms (Salle Henri Langlois, Salle Georges Franju, Salle Jean Epstein), the permanent Musée Méliès dedicated to cinema pioneer Georges Méliès, the Bibliothèque du film providing access to 17,000+ films for viewing and research, an on-site bookshop (Librairie), and Café Lola. Programming combines regular retrospectives, filmmaker encounters, educational workshops for young audiences, and major temporary exhibitions (the current Marilyn Monroe exhibition runs April–July 2026 alongside retrospectives for Claudia Cardinale, Jacques Tati, Lina Wertmüller, S.S. Rajamouli, and Joséphine Baker).

The core technology stack is intentionally lightweight: the on-site cinema and museum experience is operational, while commerce runs through a Digitick-powered online ticketing platform at billetterie.cinematheque.fr supporting individual ticket sales, subscription management, and group bookings. Content distribution extends to an editorial Magazine with podcasts, filmmaker dialogues, and a "henri" section streaming rare films online. There is no proprietary technology platform, app, or API. Audience analytics run on Google Analytics; no AI/ML capabilities are evidenced.

The business model is a hybrid of one-time ticket revenue, recurring subscriptions, ancillary on-site spend (café, bookshop), and institutional patronage. Subscription tiers include Libre Pass (full €130.90/year or €11.90/month, Under-26 €110/year, Duo €209/year), Forfait 6 Places (€30 for a six-ticket bundle valid one year), Carte Cinéfamille (€15/year for families), and Bibliothèque du Film annual cards (€34 full / €20 reduced). Customers are segmented across film enthusiasts, families and under-26s, researchers and students, and school groups. Diversified patronage from Chanel, Fondation Gan pour le cinéma, Netflix, and CNC, plus accessibility-mandated and partner-network cross-promotion with institutions such as BNF, Philharmonie de Paris, and Festival d'Automne, anchors institutional revenue beyond consumer transactions.

Name

La Cinémathèque française

Legal name

La Cinémathèque française

Website

https://cinematheque.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

La Cinémathèque française is a Paris-based non-profit film archive founded in 1936 that preserves, restores, and exhibits cinematographic heritage through screenings, the Musée Méliès, and a 17,000-film library, serving cinephiles, families, researchers, and students via subscriptions and partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Institution / Film Archive

NAICS

Museums (71211), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG)

Keywords

• Film archive services
• Cinema screenings
• Film heritage preservation
• Cultural institution exhibitions
• Film education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales - Cinema and Exhibitions: Revenue from individual ticket sales for film screenings, exhibitions (including Marilyn Monroe exhibition), and special events. Standard cinema tickets range from €7-9.50 for regular screenings, with special tariffs for exhibitions.
2. Libre Pass Membership: Annual subscription providing unlimited access to films, conferences, exhibitions, and the Musée Méliès. Plein tarif: €130.90/year (or €11.90/month via direct debit); Under 26: €110/year (or €10/month); Duo: €209/year (or €19/month). Includes benefits at partner cultural institutions.
3. Forfait 6 Places: Bundle of 6 cinema tickets at €30 (€5 per place), valid for 1 year. Provides over 20% savings on standard ticket prices.
4. Bibliothèque du Film Card: Annual subscription for library access with viewing of 17,000+ films. Full price: €34/year; Reduced rate (students over 25, teachers): €20/year.
5. Cinéfamille Card: Family card at €15/year providing free entry for under-18s to Ma Petite Cinémathèque screenings, reduced cinema tickets (€3 for under-18, €5 for adults), and free museum access for minors.
6. Café Lola and Librairie: On-site café Lola and bookstore generating revenue from food, beverages, and cinema-related merchandise and publications.
7. Corporate Partnerships and Mécénat: Major patrons including Chanel, Fondation Gan pour le cinéma, and Netflix support the institution. Additional revenue from privatization events and venue rentals for corporate functions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Cinémathèque française is a French film archive and cultural institution operating from a Paris venue that hosts regular film screenings across three cinema halls, rotating temporary exhibitions, a permanent museum dedicated to cinema pioneer Georges Méliès, and a research film library with access to over 17,000 films. It generates revenue through ticket sales, annual subscription memberships (Libre Pass, Cinéfamille, Bibliothèque), on-site café and bookstore sales, and corporate partnerships.

Product overview

La Cinémathèque française operates as a cinema museum and cultural institution offering a unified multi-venue experience centered on film heritage. Its core portfolio includes regular and special film screenings across three cinemas, major temporary exhibitions (currently Marilyn Monroe), and the permanent Musée Méliès dedicated to cinema history. Supporting offerings include the Bibliothèque du Film (17,000+ film archive), a young audience program with family screenings and creative workshops, an editorial magazine with podcasts and videos, and a physical bookshop and café. The institution monetizes through multiple subscription tiers — the flagship Libre Pass (unlimited access), Forfait 6 Places (bundle tickets), Carte Cinéfamille (family plan), and Bibliothèque subscription — all processed via a dedicated online ticketing platform powered by Digitick. The product ecosystem is designed for cinema enthusiasts, researchers, families, and students, combining in-person cultural experiences with digital content and membership benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Libre Pass: Annual membership subscription offering unlimited access to films, exhibitions, the Musée Méliès, and the film library, with benefits including invitations to premieres and discounts at the bookstore.
• Musée Méliès
• La Bibliothèque du film
• Forfait 6 places
• Carte Cinéfamille

Products and services

• Cinema Screenings

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BNF (Bibliothèque nationale de France)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cultural institution offering cross-promotional benefits to Libre Pass members. BNF is a major French cultural institution with complementary archival mission.
• UGC BercyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cinema offering reduced rates and special offers to Libre Pass members. Located near the Cinémathèque at Bercy.
• Philharmonie de ParisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cultural institution offering cross-promotional benefits to Libre Pass members, including reduced tickets and special offers.
• MEP (Maison Européenne de la Photographie)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cultural institution offering cross-promotional benefits to Libre Pass members.
• Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporainminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cultural institution offering cross-promotional benefits to Libre Pass members.
• Théâtre du Rond-PointminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cultural institution offering cross-promotional benefits to Libre Pass members.
• Forum des imagesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cultural institution offering cross-promotional benefits to Libre Pass members.
• Festival d'AutomneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner cultural institution offering cross-promotional benefits to Libre Pass members.
• DIGITICKcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical service provider for the online ticketing platform (billetterie.cinematheque.fr). DIGITICK SA is headquartered at 2 rue de Laborde, 75008 Paris.
• Le Hall de la ChansonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner institution for the Revue Arc-en-ciel celebration of Joséphine Baker. Special reduced rate of €5 instead of €24 for Libre Pass members.
• Institut du Monde ArabeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner institution for the Byblos exhibition. Libre Pass members can win invitations through promotional forms.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• British Film Institute (BFI): The UK's national film archive and cultural body, operating BFI Southbank cinemas, the BFI National Archive, and BFI Player streaming. Most directly comparable institution: a national film archive with permanent cinemas, festivals, library/archive access, and a membership model.
• Eye Filmmuseum: Amsterdam's combined film museum, archive, and cinema complex showcasing cinema history through permanent and temporary exhibitions, screenings, and a film library. Directly comparable as a multi-functional film heritage venue combining museum, cinemas, and archive.
• Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: Los Angeles-based museum dedicated to the history and art of cinema, combining permanent and temporary exhibitions with screenings and educational programs. Comparable as a purpose-built cinema heritage museum with marquee exhibitions and ticketed film programming.
• Cinémathèque suisse: Swiss national film archive based in Lausanne/Penthaz, dedicated to film preservation and public access through screenings and collections. Comparable as a national cinematheque with similar archival mission and screening programs.
• Deutsche Kinemathek: Berlin-based film museum and archive combining permanent exhibitions on cinema history with screenings and educational programming. Comparable as a national-level film heritage institution with museum and cinema components.
• Cinémathèque française de Toulouse: Regional French cinematheque offering film screenings, retrospectives, and educational programs focused on cinema heritage. Comparable as a French cinematheque operating in a similar model of curated screenings and film education, though smaller and regionally focused.

Broad incumbents

• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) - Department of Film: MoMA's Film Department operates one of the world's most significant international film collections with regular screenings and exhibition programming. Comparable as a broader institution where film is a specialized but integrated program alongside visual arts more broadly.

Regional players

• Cinémathèque québécoise: Montreal-based film heritage institution preserving and exhibiting Quebec and Canadian cinema through screenings, exhibitions, and an archive. Comparable as a national-level cinematheque operating in a different geographic market.
• Cinemateca Portuguesa: Lisbon-based Portuguese national film archive preserving and exhibiting film heritage through screenings, retrospectives, and an extensive collection. Comparable as a national-level cinematheque with archival mission in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cinemathequefr
• Facebookfacebook.com/cinemathequefr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Cinémathèque française