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SCREENS UNDER PRESSURE. Cinema during the Occupation

Photo : André Zucca / BHVP / Roger-Viollet

Nov 27 – Jul 10

SCREENS UNDER PRESSURE. Cinema during the Occupation

Between 1940 and 1944, in an occupied country under curfew and rationing, movie theaters remained full. Light romances, comedies, historical films and literary adaptations, detective or fantasy films enlivened the screens in Paris and the provinces. Propaganda newsreels and documentaries preceded them at the start of the screening. Between these images, ideological subtexts infused the programs.

Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé (Paris 13th)

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About

The Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé Foundation starts with this ordinary experience - entering a theater, sitting down, watching - to unfold its layers. From November 27, 2026, to July 10, 2027, Screens under pressure: cinema during the Occupation reconstructs a landscape: an industry framed on all sides, subjected to censorship and marked by antisemitic exclusion policies, teams tinkering amidst shortages to create often dazzling films, images that say more (or less) than what they show. Between control and interstices, the cinema of the Occupation reveals the France of those years.

More than 300 works, excerpts, and documents will be gathered on two floors of the Pathé Foundation to give substance to this era under constraints and its cinematic production.

Our take on this event

History buffs and cinephiles alike, prepare for an eye-opening exploration of how French filmmakers navigated censorship and scarcity during the 1940s. Hidden away in a beautiful building in the 13th arrondissement, this rare collection of images and archives reveals the resilience of creativity under the pressure of war.

Explore the complex history of French cinema during the Occupation at the exhibition Écrans sous contraintes, hosted by the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé. Running from November 27, 2026, to July 10, 2027, this exhibition examines an industry defined by censorship, antisemitic exclusion policies, and artistic ingenuity under scarcity. Featuring over 300 works, film clips, and historical documents, the exhibition provides a deep look at how filmmakers navigated these restrictive times. Located in Paris’s 13th arrondissement, the event offers an affordable entry price between 3 and 5 euros, allowing all visitors to witness how cinema served as a mirror to France during those years.

The Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé presents a comprehensive look at the French film industry during the German Occupation. Entitled Écrans sous contraintes, the exhibition highlights the duality of the era, where the industry was heavily regulated by censorship and exclusion policies, yet continued to produce remarkable works despite severe shortages and operational constraints.

Occupying two floors of the foundation, the exhibition showcases over 300 items, including full films, curated excerpts, and archival documents. These materials illustrate the daily challenges faced by film crews and the artistic choices made to bypass controls or reflect the reality of the era. The exhibition is open to the public from November 27, 2026, through July 10, 2027.

Plan your visit to 73, avenue des Gobelins, 75013 Paris during the following hours: Tuesday and Friday from 14:00 to 20:30, Wednesday and Thursday from 14:00 to 19:00, and Saturday from 11:30 to 19:00. Tickets are priced between 3 and 5 euros.

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