Lumiere’s Classic Film Market Examines Universal’s Latest Restorations

The Lumière Film Festival’s International Classic Film Market (MIFC) marks its 12th edition with a wide-ranging program that examines the latest restorations from NBCUniversal and leading French distributors and tackles some of the heritage cinema sector’s most pressing issues.

Running Oct. 15-18, the MIFC this year explores opportunities for the DVD and Blu-ray market and movie theaters, the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), the impact of Jean-Jacques Annaud’s 1986 classic “The Name of the Rose” and the heritage sector of Lithuania, this year’s country of honor.

Speaking to Variety, Gérald Duchaussoy, who oversees programming and coordination at the MIFC, said it was particularly important to look at the U.S. market to identify trends in the sector, both among streaming platforms and movie theaters.

Duchaussoy will moderate a discussion with Cassandra Moore, vice president of mastering and archive at NBCUniversal.

“It was very important for us to be able to welcome Cassandra, who’s very passionate about what she does and about preserving all these masterpieces that they have at Universal.”

Among the films certain to be discussed will be Steven Spielberg’s “The Sugarland Express,” which returned to the Cannes Film Festival this year, marking its 50th anniversary with a 4K restoration. The film, which stars Goldie Hawn and William Atherton, won best screenplay in Cannes in 1974 but Spielberg was forced to skip the festival because he was in the middle of shooting “Jaws,” Duchaussoy noted.

Also present will be representatives from Park Circus, which recently released a new 4K restoration of Charles Vidor’s “Gilda,” starring Rita Hayworth, which likewise screened this year in Cannes.

In addition, the MIFC is presenting the latest releases from French distributors in two separate showcases.

The Catalogue Holders’ Premiere Presentation will include titles from Gaumont, Cinématographique Lyre, Studiocanal, TF1 Studio, Les Films du Jeudi, Pathé Films, and Minerva Pictures, while the Distributors’ Premium Showcase for Exhibitors will offer the latest restorations from ADRC, Carlotta Films, Les Acacias, Malavida, Solaris Distribution, and Tamasa Distribution.

The 4K restoration of “The Name of the Rose,” starring Sean Connery, will serve as a case study for cataloguers and distributors. The film, which closed last year’s Lumière Festival, sold some 42,000 admissions upon its re-release in France.  

“It’s still very impressive to see that there is a strong desire to go see the film,” Duchaussoy said.

The case study on “The Name of the Rose” brings together Les Acacias managing director Jean-Fabrice Janaudy, Hugues Peysson, head of L’atelier d’images, and Pierre Olivier, catalogue and video director at TF1 Studio, to discuss their strategy and collaboration on the film’s re-release.

Examining opportunities for heritage programming in the exhibition sector, including strategies and levers for increased exposure, will be a round table discussion that will feature Christian Bräuer, president of the International Confederation of Art Cinemas (CICAE); Laure Houlgatte, CEO of the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC); Guillaume Bachy, president of the French association of arthouse cinemas (AFCAE); Nadège Lauzzana, head of the Agency for the Regional Development of Cinema (ADRC); and Richard Patry, head of the National Federation of French Cinemas (FNCF).

Also in focus is the growing use of AI in restoring films and TV productions. Representatives of France’s National Audiovisual Institute (INA) will be on hand to discuss tools developed by the INA to promote its audiovisual heritage. A second round table will explore the legal and regulatory framework surrounding the use of AI in the sector, both in France and internationally.  

“It’s what’s in the minds of all the professionals we are in contact with all the time,” said Duchaussoy. Labs are increasingly using AI to accelerate and facilitate restoration work at lower costs, he added.

Discussions will focus on the growing use of the technology and its legal implications, particularly across Europe, and how it’s handled in licensing agreements and among rights holders, which differs from country to country.

As part of its focus on Lithuania, the MIFC will screen Algirdas Araminas’ 1980 fantasy children’s film “Andrius” and Algirdas Dausa and Almantas Grikevičius’ 1968 World War II drama “Jausmai” (“Feelings”).

The market is not just concentrating on the industry but also opening up to the general public and a younger generation of cinephiles.

While the MIFC officially kicks off on Oct. 15, it will have its annual DVD Publishers’ Fair on Sunday, Oct. 13. Open to all, the DVD and Blu-ray fair has become an audience favorite at the Lumière Film Festival, so much so that the number of companies taking part is rising.

A conference during the fair will include a discussion with Manuel Chiche, chairman of The Jokers Films, and Vincent Paul-Boncour, director and co-founder of Carlotta Films, two of the leading video publishers that will be presenting their latest releases at the event.

Organizers this year are also reaching out to a younger generation of cinephiles by offering special accreditations for students in a further effort to engage with the community.

“In the same spirit as the companies working in our niche business, we can tell that for all these young students, there is a need for them to go see and follow the news of the classic film market,” Duchaussoy noted. “We could tell that there was a desire for some students to go to the market and for us to welcome them.”

The students also “rejuvenate the market,” he added.

The initiative has proved so successful that the MIFC will also be welcoming students from other European countries, including Romania and Greece.

Overall, the MIFC has seen the number of accredited participants rise from 490 in 2023 to 575 this year, while the number of exhibitors has doubled from 40 to 80.

“We worked a lot to bring the exhibitors to the market,” said Duchaussoy. “There was a strong desire because in France we have a very dynamic exhibition system pretty much everywhere. That’s always been at the core of what we’ve been working on.”

A total of 70 companies listed as buyers will also be attending the market.