Photo : © le19M
Michel Gondry's Amateur Film Factory at la Galerie du 19M
Imagined by Michel Gondry, the Amateur Film Factory workshop invites young and old to create a collective film for free in just three hours, without any prior experience.
le19m (Paris 19th)
About
On the occasion of the exhibition Métamorphoses, les chapeaux de Maison Michel, the installation takes on a new form at la Galerie du 19M: an immersive set inspired by a millinery workshop from the early 20th century becomes a playground and starting point for all kinds of stories.
In groups, participants imagine their narrative, write the main scenes, assign roles, and then shoot their film on the set. The experience concludes with a group screening of the short film just created.
It is proof that a group with no connection to cinema or artistic professions can work independently and create a burst of fun that will remain in their eyes and hearts.
Michel Gondry, The set of the Amateur Film Factory; Credits: © le19M - Clara LenoirScenario creation during the Amateur Film Factory; Credits: © le19M - Soliou LigaliThe set of the Amateur Film Factory; Credits: © le19M - Soliou LigaliA true stimulator of collective creation, the Amateur Film Factory is not a film school. The goal is not to teach professional techniques, but to unleash the imagination, encourage play, and allow everyone to take part in a collective creation.
For this edition specially designed for la Galerie du 19M, hats, materials, gestures, and millinery know-how become sources of inspiration to give birth to stories as free as they are unexpected.
Prepare for your visit
- From 10 years old. If a child is participating, the presence of an adult is mandatory throughout the workshop.
- From 2 pm to 5 pm (3-hour slots), every Saturday
- Free upon reservation
- This collaborative workshop is offered as part of the exhibition Métamorphoses, les chapeaux de Maison Michel.
About
The Amateur Film Factory
Created in 2008 by director Michel Gondry, in the wake of the filming of his movie Be Kind Rewind, the Amateur Film Factory is above all a space for creation and meeting. For three hours, participants imagine a story, decide together how to tell it, and make their own short film. The sets, accessories, and a few simple rules provide a framework, but they choose the content, assign roles, and move the project forward. Rather than consuming pre-designed entertainment, they live a collective, joyful experience entirely created by the group.
After numerous installations in France and internationally, a large Amateur Film Factory will open at the end of the year at the Cité du Cinéma, in Saint-Denis, for a period of three years.
Our take on this event
Forget high-end production gear, because this is where you become the auteur of your own quirky masterpiece. Surrounded by antique millinery decor, gather your crew to brainstorm and film a chaotic short story that turns everyday hats into creative catalysts. It is a fantastic excuse to let your guard down and see what kind of movie magic your group can conjure up in just a few hours.
The Galerie du 19M hosts Michel Gondry’s Amateur Film Factory for a unique creative experience. Children aged 6 and up, alongside adults, are invited to become filmmakers for a Saturday afternoon. Within an immersive set inspired by a vintage millinery workshop, groups brainstorm, script, and shoot their own short film, culminating in a collective screening of their work. This free workshop is wheelchair accessible and requires advance booking. It offers a perfect opportunity to explore collective imagination within the Métamorphoses, les chapeaux de Maison Michel exhibition, with no prior filmmaking skills required to participate.
Designed by director Michel Gondry, the Amateur Film Factory comes to the Galerie du 19M as part of the Métamorphoses, les chapeaux de Maison Michel exhibition. Running until December 12, 2026, the installation features a unique set modeled after a turn-of-the-century millinery shop. Every Saturday, from 14:00 to 17:00, visitors are invited to craft and produce a short film in a three-hour session.
The process centers on collaboration: participants write their stories, assign roles, and film their scenes within the immersive set. The experience is wheelchair accessible and open to children from age 6, noting that an adult must accompany children aged 10 and up. Each session concludes with a communal screening of the newly created films.
Admission is free by reservation. While the environment provides a structure, the focus remains on artistic freedom and collective play rather than technical training. It is an invitation to use millinery elements as inspiration to create unexpected stories in the 19th arrondissement.
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