Ciné Duchère

Ciné Duchère is a movie theater in the 9th arrondissement of Lyon, France, located on avenue Andrei Sakharov in the Duchère district. It occupies a building originally constructed in the 1960s as the Église Notre-Dame-de-Balmont, a parish church designed by architect Pierre Genton for the Balmont sub-district. The church was deconsecrated in 1994–1995 and converted into a cinema. The building is partially underground and features a concrete spire inclined at 45 degrees, with wooden "organ pipes" installed on the bell tower by sculptor Étienne Martin. Since 2003, the edifice has carried the "Patrimoine du XXe siècle" (20th-century heritage) label as part of a group of Duchère buildings that includes the Tour panoramique. Ciné Duchère held its first screening on 8 May 1996. It initially offered evening film screenings before expanding to daytime programming. From its opening, it also worked with school audiences despite limited available time slots. Attendance grew from 3,567 spectators in 1996 to 15,872 in 2009 and 23,681 in 2019. The cinema operates a website at cineduchere.free.fr, which announces a new site at www.cineduchere.fr. It is a small, locally rooted exhibition venue rather than a national chain, and its programming and audience development reflect its community role in the Duchère neighborhood.

The building that now houses Ciné Duchère was originally the Église Notre-Dame-de-Balmont, a parish church in the Balmont sub-district of the Duchère neighborhood in Lyon's 9th arrondissement. It was designed in the 1960s by architect Pierre Genton. The structure is partially underground and is topped by a concrete spire inclined at 45 degrees; wooden "organ pipes" created by sculptor Étienne Martin were placed on the bell tower. The church was deconsecrated in 1994–1995 and repurposed as a cinema. Ciné Duchère's first screening took place on 8 May 1996. The venue initially showed films in the evening, later adding daytime screenings. From the beginning, it also developed programming for school audiences, despite tight scheduling constraints. Attendance figures illustrate its growth: 3,567 spectators in 1996, 15,872 in 2009, and 23,681 in 2019. In 2003, the edifice received the "Patrimoine du XXe siècle" label, recognizing its architectural significance as part of a set of Duchère buildings that includes the Tour panoramique. The cinema maintains an online presence; its original site at cineduchere.free.fr announced a move to a new site at www.cineduchere.fr.

• 2019

  Attendance reaches 23,681 spectators.

• 2009

  Attendance reaches 15,872 spectators.

• 2003

  Building receives the 'Patrimoine du XXe siècle' label.

• 1996

  First screening held on 8 May 1996.

• 1994

  Church deconsecrated (1994–1995) and converted into a cinema.

• 1960

  Church building designed by architect Pierre Genton in the 1960s.

A neighborhood community cinema in a converted heritage church, focused on local audiences and school groups.

• Film screenings

• School group programming

1. 1CinéDuchère official websitecineduchere.free.fr
2. 2Ciné Duchère - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Ciné Duchère - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org