October 2026: Cinémathèque's 90th, Quai des Bulles, War on Screen, and More
In October 2026, France boasts an exciting array of cultural events. The Cinémathèque française in Paris commemorates its 90th anniversary with a film retrospective showcasing 180 titles from September 16 to November 29, featuring both renowned classics and obscure gems. Art Basel Paris takes place from October 23 to 25, accompanied by various satellite fairs and exhibitions. On October 16 and 17, the Gaîté Lyrique will host the 'Et maintenant ?' festival, focusing on AI through podcasts and performances. Additionally, the Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles will present Performissima, a complimentary mini-festival on October 18. Other notable happenings include the Quai des Bulles comic festival in Saint-Malo from October 9 to 11, and Châlons-en-Champagne's War on Screen festival from October 5 to 11. The AR(t]CHIPEL festival, honoring Alexander Calder, runs from October 15 to February 28, 2027, alongside events like Contretemps at abbaye royale de Fontevraud and Nuits de lumière at château de Vincennes.
Key facts
- The Cinémathèque française celebrates its 90th anniversary with a retrospective of 180 films from September 16 to November 29, 2026.
- Art Basel Paris takes place from October 23 to 25, 2026, with satellite fairs and exhibitions across Paris.
- The 45th Quai des Bulles comic festival in Saint-Malo runs October 9–11, 2026, expecting 900 authors and 35,000 visitors.
- War on Screen festival in Châlons-en-Champagne, founded in 2013, screens conflict-themed films from October 5–11, 2026.
- Contretemps at abbaye royale de Fontevraud, October 10–11, 2026, explores confinement and freedom through workshops and conferences.
- Marseille's actoral festival continues until October 10, 2026, despite losing public subsidies.
- Nuits de lumière at château de Vincennes features 14 light installations by 15 artists from October 15 to November 8, 2026.
- The 41st Festival d'Hyères at villa Noailles runs October 15–18, 2026, with jury presidents Camille Vivier, Chemena Kamali, and Cecilie Bahnsen.
- AR(t]CHIPEL festival in Centre-Val de Loire honors Alexander Calder across 15 venues from October 15, 2026, to February 28, 2027.
Entities
Artists
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Luchino Visconti
- Éric Rohmer
- Boris Barnet
- Hiroshi Shimizu
- Frank Gehry
- Prune Nourry
- Jenny Holzer
- Lorenzo Mattotti
- Jade Khoo
- Pawel Pawlikowski
- Thomas Mann
- Jerzy Skolimowski
- King Hu
- Nick Park
- Peter Lord
- Sarah Jérôme
- Laura Vazquez
- Philippe Quesne
- Adèle Haenel
- Angelo Bonello
- Maxime Touroute
- Romain Tardy
- Daniel Rossa
- Khalil Epi
- Marin Martinie
- Sophie Germanier
- Lan Perces
- Dustin Kenel
- Jessica Tamsin Allemann
- Hugo Lucchino
- Robert Mallet-Stevens
- Camille Vivier
- Chemena Kamali
- Cecilie Bahnsen
- Alexander Calder
- Gene Kelly
- Stanley Donen
- Tony Valente
- Lee Miller
- Guido Guidi
- Loïc Le Gall
- Alexia Fabre
- Phil
- Noé
- Johanna Baget
- Lilas Berault
- Sophie Aupied-Vallin
- Célestin Loubrieu
- Sébastien Denigues
- Carlos Diegues
- Olmo Omerzu
- Barry Ward
- Dexter Franc
- Barbora Bobuľová
- Timon Šturbej
- Antonín Chmela
- Roma Luca
- Romain Dolique
- PJ Harvey
- Angel Olsen
- Françoiz Breut
Institutions
- Cinémathèque française
- Art Basel Paris
- Quai des Bulles
- War on Screen
- abbaye royale de Fontevraud
- actoral
- Nuits de lumière
- Gaîté Lyrique
- Arte
- Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles
- Færies Records
- villa Noailles
- Chloé
- AR(t]CHIPEL
- Calder Foundation
- Adagp
- GrandPalais Rmn
- musée Jacquemart-André
- Grand Palais
- musée de l'Orangerie
- fondation Vuitton
- Petit Palais
- musée d'Orsay
- musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours
- château du Rivau
- musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans
- CCC OD
- château de Chambord
- château de Vincennes
- Friche la Belle de Mai
- Montévidéo
- La Baleine
- Warner Bros
- Art Paris
- Fondation groupe EDF
- Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris
- LE BAL
- MAXXI Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo
- Cité de l’Économie
- Devenir Festival
- Consulat Voltaire
- Hôtel Lutetia
- Les Trois Baudets
- Théâtre Victor Hugo
- Compagnie Still Life
- L’Arlequin
- Festival de Cinéma Brésilien de Paris
- Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
- POPUP du Label
- Artistik Rezo
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Saint-Malo
- Châlons-en-Champagne
- Fontevraud-l'Abbaye
- Maine-et-Loire
- Marseille
- Vincennes
- Hyères
- Centre-Val de Loire
- Tours
- Orléans
- Chambord
- New York
- Taiwan
- Vilnius
- Egypt
- London
- England
- Cesena
- Rome
- Italy
- Adriatic
- Slovenia
- La Nouvelle Orléans