After a long battle to secure one of Paris’ last independent cinemas, the organizers behind La Clef are bringing their efforts to New York. They are launching a film screening and fundraising tour across the city, aiming to connect with fellow cinephiles and raise the final amount needed to complete renovations.
La Clef, located in Paris’ historic Left Bank district, has been closed since 2019 when its former owner put the building up for sale. A collective of volunteers, filmmakers, and activists occupied the space, refusing to let it disappear. What started as a grassroots protest turned into a full-fledged movement to reclaim the cinema as a community-driven venue for independent film.
Last year, the group known as Cinéma Revival purchased the building after securing €2 million in funds. This was made possible through thousands of small donations, along with contributions from filmmakers including Wang Bing, Céline Sciamma, and Leos Carax. The effort also received high-profile backing, with Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch helping raise funds through donations and an art sale.
The next challenge is completing renovations. The group estimates that an additional €400,000 to €500,000 is needed to finish removing asbestos and fixing electrical wiring before the planned reopening in September. To reach that goal, they are turning to New York’s film community.
A Cinematic Exchange Between Paris and New York
The tour begins Wednesday at Film Forum with a screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s A Woman Is a Woman. Other locations include Anthology Film Archives, Spectacle Theater in Brooklyn, and Harlem’s Maysles Documentary Center. The selection includes a mix of French classics and contemporary films, reflecting the diverse programming La Clef has championed.
“The point of the trip is to begin a new fundraising campaign in the U.S. and also to meet other cinephiles and people that could be interested in our story,” organizers said before departing for New York.
The struggle to keep independent cinemas alive is not limited to Paris. Many theaters in New York closed permanently after the pandemic, and others continue to face financial instability. Organizers believe their experience at La Clef could serve as a model for others facing similar battles.
“In New York, the situation with cinemas is just as bad. Many cinemas closed during Covid, so we thought our story could be a good one to share,” they added.
La Clef’s story has already gained attention from American filmmakers. Ahead of the Cannes premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon in 2023, Martin Scorsese publicly voiced his support through a video message and an op-ed in Libération. John Carpenter also expressed solidarity, while filmmakers including Sean Price Williams and Frederick Wiseman visited the cinema during its occupation.
A Movement to Protect Independent Cinema
With tax-deductible donations now available through Film Independent, the La Clef team hopes to secure the final funds necessary to reopen the theater this year. The New York screenings offer a chance not only to raise money but also to build connections with those invested in preserving independent film spaces.
As their journey continues, the question remains whether similar grassroots movements could emerge elsewhere. With independent cinemas disappearing in cities around the world, the fight to protect them is far from over.
