Photo : © Thomas Lang
Ciné-spectacle: The Horrible Little Cinematograph / Halloween Special
Step back into the golden age of traveling fairground shows where ghosts and witches haunt the screen through silent films and vintage magic lantern projections. Accompanied by live piano improvisation, this spooky cinematic journey captures the whimsical terror that enchanted audiences over a century ago.
Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé (Paris 13th)
About
Step into the haunting world of L'Horrible Petit Cinématographe during this special Halloween session at the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé. On Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 14:00 to 16:00, explore a collection of early silent films and hand-painted projections featuring ghosts and mythical creatures. Designed for audiences aged 6 and up, the event pays tribute to the traveling fairground showmen of the past and their magical lanterns. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible. Enjoy a cinematic journey accompanied by live piano improvisation, followed by a snack at the foundation's cafe and bookstore.
With horns, big teeth, fur, tentacles, or hooked noses..., devils, ghosts, and witches multiply on the screen. Images painted over 100 years ago interweave with those of the first silent films... and it is one single story being told to us. A story where peddlers who worked at fairgrounds understood how much bright images - still or animated - opened the fields of the imagination. A story where the magic lantern was nicknamed "the lantern of fear". A story where its shows offered the audience the illusion of a fantastic world, capable of shaking up reality.
- This show is designed and hosted by Anne Gourdet-Marès.
- The session is accompanied by a pianist from the improvisation class of Jean-François Zygel (CNSMDP).
- A show for the little ones... and the grown-ups, from 6 to 120 years old!
The show is followed by a snack at the Foundation's café-bookstore.
Our take on this event
The Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé hosts a unique cinematic experience on Saturday, October 31, 2026, titled L'Horrible Petit Cinématographe. Curated and hosted by Anne Gourdet-Marès, the session revives the tradition of fairground entertainment, where magic lanterns once brought fantastic, otherworldly tales to life. Through a blend of century-old hand-painted images and early silent cinema, the audience encounters a variety of monsters and spirits, all set to live piano music performed by a talent from Jean-François Zygel’s improvisation class at the CNSMDP.
Suitable for all ages starting from 6 years old, the event runs from 14:30 to 16:00. After the screening, guests are invited to enjoy a snack at the foundation's café-bookstore. The entire site is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets are available at a single rate of 8 €. Families can benefit from special packages: 28 € for a family of 4 (maximum 2 adults) or 32 € for a family of 5 (maximum 2 adults). Additional tickets beyond the five-person group are priced at 4 €.
22°C
Weather forecast
Pluie modérée
