18th Lumière Festival Opens in Lyon With Heritage Film Screenings
The 18th Lumière Festival opened on Saturday evening in Lyon, drawing crowds to nearly 450 heritage film screenings across fifty metropolitan venues, as reported by Euronews. For nine days, festival attendees gathered to celebrate the seventh art with retrospectives honoring the Coen brothers, Norman Jewison, and Ettore Scola.
Filmmakers Recall Earliest Cinema Memories
On the red carpet, attending filmmakers shared their earliest cinema memories with reporters. German director Fatih Akin recalled watching Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury (also known as The Chinese Connection or La Fureur de vaincre) on Super 8 reels at age six, describing the experience as feeling like taking speed
according to Euronews. American filmmaker Todd Haynes cited Mary Poppins, which he saw at age three, noting that it became completely imprinted in his body and creative brain. Hong Kong director Tsui Hark recounted going alone into a darkened theater at age 14 to watch Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, calling it a truly extraordinary film that influenced his own career path.
Restored Classics and Special Screenings
Beyond opening night, the festival places heritage cinema front and center through restored prints and specialized sessions. Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi attended the event to present a restored version of Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, marking the film’s first screening in this restored format in France. After walking the city streets, Zhang noted that she had fallen in love with Lyon and hoped to return for future editions of the festival, according to Euronews.
The nine-day schedule also incorporates silent cinema programming, highlighted by a cine-concert featuring a restored version of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis accompanied by a symphony orchestra on October 15. Additional tributes include dedicated programs for Tsui Hark and Todd Haynes, alongside expert-led discussions and artist presentations.
The Coen Brothers Tribute
The central event of the 18th edition is the presentation of the Lumière Award to Joel and Ethan Coen on Friday, October 16. Following the award ceremony, the festival will host an all-night marathon tribute dedicated to the Coen brothers’ films at the Halle Tony Garnier on Saturday, October 17. The festival runs through Sunday, October 18, with complete programming details maintained on the official Lumière Festival website.
