“We didn’t think it was a cinema… There are always old people in front of the door”shrugs Sofia, 15, slowly tugging at her long blonde hair. “And then there is no popcorn, food is seriously important to see a movie”remarked his classmates.
Ciné St-Leu, Amiens, Somme prefecture, Tuesday 7 February. The fifteen students of 2of ASSP (accompaniment, care and services to the person) of the Edouard-Gand vocational high school take over the municipal art and essay cinema. They are the ones (because apart from Jean-Fabrice, they are all girls) who chose the projected feature film – The War of the Buttons (1962), by Yves Robert; those who prepared the debate with François Lartigue alias Grand Gibus in the film; they are found everywhere, from the checkout to the projectionist’s cabin under the tender eyes of cinema employees.
In the aftermath of the confinement which had seen the cinema operators crying out for famine, the desertion of the spectators pushed the CNC to launch militant policies to try to bring back the lost sheep. This is how the ACAP – regional image center decided to support four cinemas in Picardy each year in this type of project.
At Ciné St-Leu – one screen, 250 seats, 45,000 admissions in 2022 – the director, Boris Thomas, immediately saw the interest of this system called “Cinestarie”. “I didn’t want to run it with an inner-city high school. I found it more interesting to seek out children who have fewer bridges with the world of culture. » In 2021, he had met Louis Teyssedou, a history teacher from the vocational high school who had his students stake out on Cosserat, the old velvet factory. Encouraged by him, the cinema screened a documentary film made by one of the students.
” Highs and lows “
It is under the leadership of this energetic fellow and cinephile that the band of rebellious and joyful kids will familiarize themselves with behind the scenes: improvisations with an actor (“We worked on hypocrisy, betrayal… It made me want to be an actress because I was able to express things that I didn’t know how to say”slides little Clovicia), meeting with a director, film analysis course – “Frankly, that was a bit long, wesh”sighs Shanyssa, her eyes glued to the ceiling. To his class of ATMFC (technical assistants in family and collective environments), Louis Teyssedou asked to prepare the buffet (“No cinema without food, huh, sir! ») with in particular pretty shortbread cookies in the shape of buttons.
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