By Jen Wallace

With
the days of Blockbuster well and truly over, Netflix unavailable in
France and the epidemic of dodgy pirated downloading online, ÉCU has
researched alternative and 100% legal ways of watching your favourite
movies in Paris.

With an emphasis on French classics, rarities and
independent
cinema, here are 5 ways to watch movies around the city. (Note: Always
carry ID and proof of address with you, as most libraries will ask to
you to prove you are a Parisian citizen.)

1) The Bilbiothèque François Truffaut- Located in
the Halles at Chatelet, and next to the Forum Des Images (A great place
for screenings, exhibitions and public debates) you can watch a
wonderful selection of films for free in their library. Even if you are
only in Paris for a week you can gain access to their archives. Our
favourite way to watch independent French cinema!

2) Any public library – The best way to watch movies
at home! Here’s how it works – you pay a one off fee of €60 a year and
you can rent ANY film from ANY public library in Paris (including the
Bibliothèque François Truffaut above). The choice is endless.

3) The Cinemathèque Française-
Similar to the Truffaut library, as well as holding fantastic
exhibitions, screening rare classics and having a great bookstore, the
Cinemathèque also has a great library where you can watch films for €3.5
for a day’s access. However, if you are a student under 26 you can pay
€9 for a trimestrial subscription and unlimited access.

4) The Bilbiothèque Nationale Française- Although a
bit more complicated than the other two libraries, and with bizarre
openings hours for Paris’ biggest library, the BNF also has a huge
selection of films to watch. You have to register and get membership
(which perhaps you have already if you are a student) and then pay €8.5
for a three day pass.

The
final stage is asking specific permission to consult the film archives!
But if you are working on a project for school or university, it seems
like a worthwhile investment. And why not browse their entire collection
of Cahiers de Cinéma magazine whilst you are there?

5) Online rental: dvdfly.fr – Similar to Lovefilm
and Netflix, this website delivers DVDs to your door or lets you stream
them online. They have a free trial period so you can test it out and
prices start at €5.95 a month for 2 dvds and up to €300 a year for
unlimited rentals.

http://www.ecufilmfestival.com/en/2011/09/how-to-watch-films-in-france-w...