“Amélie Poulain” and “Intouchables” back in theaters

Gaumont has programmed the adventures of Omar Sy and François Cluzet in 200 theaters for the first week, hoping that the results will encourage exhibitors to extend the run throughout the summer.

“There’s more to life than the Olympics… There’s Amélie too”: while summer is traditionally a time for re-emergences, the popular The fabulous destiny of Amélie Poulain And Untouchables are back in theaters, with the aim of attracting tourists.

The two French films, which were hits in France and abroad, are being shown in English subtitles for the occasion. Indeed, of the 15 million visitors expected during the event, two million are expected to come from abroad.

Released in 2001, The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulainby Jean-Pierre Jeunet, is being re-released on Wednesday, July 24, two days before the start of the Paris Olympic Games. Anticipating few major releases due to a certain reluctance on the part of producers in this busy period of current events, distributor UGC said “that there was a place to be taken” to bring out this film “emblematic of French culture abroad.“Same story at Gaumont, which has programmed”Untouchables” (2011) by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano on July 31.

Summer is “a period which is less dense in releases and therefore there is more room for good exposure”confirms to AFP Marc-Olivier Sebbag, general delegate of the National Federation of French Cinemas (FNCF). “It allows operators to enrich their programming with programming that is a little different from the usual, during a period when they need to stand out perhaps more“, he believes.

UGC plans 300 copies for the re-release ofAmelie Poulainwhich benefits for the occasion from an updated trailer with this preamble sentence: “There’s more to life than the Olympics… There’s also Amélieyes”. Gaumont has programmed the adventures of Omar Sy and François Cluzet in 200 theaters for the first week, hoping that the results will encourage exhibitors to extend the run throughout the summer. In both cases, each exhibitor will be free to show the film in the original French version or with English subtitles.

These “made in France” hits are far from being the only ones to be re-released this summer. The first two parts of the bear’s adventures Paddington return to theaters on Wednesday and August 7, before the third opus expected in February 2025.

Before the release of the 2024 Palme d’Or on October 30 Anora by Sean Baker, distributors Le Pacte and ARP are also re-releasing the American director’s three previous films on Wednesday: Tangerine, The Florida Project And Red Rocket.

Also strategic, the re-release since July 17 of Chariots of Fire (1981), set during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Marcel Pagnol fans will also find something to their taste, with a retrospective to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. No fewer than ten films, including his Marseille trilogy Marius (1931), Fanny (1932) and Caesar (1936) or again The Schpountz (1938), are scheduled throughout France.

A varied offer that should not suffer from competition from the Olympic Games, according to Marc-Olivier Sebbag. If we compare with the London Olympics in 2012 or those in Rio in 2016, there should essentially be “an impact on the opening night and on the last two days, with the finals of the team sports and the 100 meters”he explains. “It also has an impact on venues that are close to Olympic events, but it is measured.“, he assures, while recalling that most of the rooms in France were not located in Paris.

For their part, Gaumont and UGC say they do not have a quantified target for re-releases.Untouchables and D’Amelie Poulain. “Forty thousand entries is very good.“, however, it is emphasized at UGC, when mentioning the re-release in April of Choristerswhich achieved more than 50,000 admissions. For comparison, Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra had achieved more than 400,000 admissions last summer, 18 years after its first theatrical release.