From 1 PM to 4 PM, a free movie, in a cool room, with priority for under 25s, over 65s, women, and disabled people.
Independent cinemas in the tenth arrondissement of Paris, including some well-known venues like L’Archipel, Le Brady, and Le Louxor, have launched Ciné-clim, a series of free afternoon screenings in air-conditioned theaters, which will take place during the peak hours of the heatwave, specifically between 1 PM and 4 PM. Access will prioritize those under 25, over 65, pregnant women, and disabled individuals. To enter, simply show up at the entrance with an ID.
As reported by Euronews, the question circulating on French social media since the initiative was launched and has gained significant success is: why have three independent cinemas in a Parisian arrondissement done what no national institution thought to do? The answer is the same as always: institutions move slowly. A heatwave that almost literally suffocates people, forcing the cancellation of Pride and music festivals, and leading to a ban on outdoor alcohol consumption, is a health emergency. Air-conditioned cinemas are already fairly evenly distributed throughout the city, requiring no new infrastructure or investments, only two things: staff to keep the theater open during those hours and operators willing to “gift” screenings and air conditioning to their audience. The City of Paris has included Ciné-clim in a broader package of measures, adding it to “cooling islands,” air-conditioned rooms in the town hall, swimming permits in the Canal Saint-Martin, and nighttime openings of parks and gardens like Villemin, which is accessible until midnight these days.
On Tuesday, France recorded the hottest June day in its history, with 41 degrees in Paris, according to Météo-France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that since last Thursday, 40 people have drowned while trying to find relief from the heat by jumping into water. The Paris police requested on Friday that the organizers of the Marche des Fiertés (the French Pride), scheduled for Saturday, cancel it due to an exceptional heatwave that has severely strained emergency services and hospitals in the capital. The same request was made to the Solidays music festival. The Paris police prefect has banned alcohol consumption in public spaces starting Friday at noon, justifying the measure with the need to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system, already stretched to its limits, unable to sustain this number of admissions and hospitalizations due to heat-related illnesses for long.
