“We will not aim to be a multiplex”: closed for 9 years, the Draveil cinema is preparing its rebirth

It’s been almost nine years since the L’Orangerie cinema in Draveil (Essonne), a town of 30,000 inhabitants, lowered the curtain and screened its latest films. But the place should reopen its doors by the end of 2027, or even the beginning of 2028, announces Anne-Marie Jourdanneau Fort, the recently elected mayor (LR).

The cinema, inaugurated in 1947, ceased all activity in September 2017. At issue: the manager at the time, who had not paid any rent to the owner of the premises, the Paris-Jardins cooperative society, for several months.

The day after the last scheduled session, police and bailiffs put up wooden panels to block access to the building. A document marked “judicial expulsion” then sounds the death knell for the three projection rooms for an indefinite period.

A first aborted takeover project

The place was left to drift for several years. Then comes hope. A new operator is found to take over the cinema. The latter is undertaking work for a sum of 300,000 euros. The building is completely stripped and cleaned.

But the business manager, who manages several cinemas in Essonne, files for bankruptcy in 2024. New disappointment. “The economic situation of cinemas was very complicated, especially after Covid,” comments Anne-Marie Jourdanneau Fort.

Faced with this impasse, the idea emerged that the cinema would be taken over by the Val d’Yerres Val de Seine urban community, which already manages several in its territory. “We had to find a solution to make an arrangement that could be viable, while keeping in mind that the building is private,” recalls Anne-Marie Jourdanneau Fort, second deputy of the majority at the time.

Support from the CNC and the Île-de-France region

However, “the municipality does not have the necessary skills to manage a cinema alone. And the agglomeration cannot do it directly,” continues the mayor. The town of Draveil thus approached the owner, Paris-Jardins, in order to negotiate a lease for thirty-two years.

The idea is simple: the town of Draveil invests 1.5 million euros to renovate the building, which allows the urban community to inject 700,000 euros to purchase all the necessary equipment (armchairs, projectors, screens, etc.). For its part, Paris-Jardins agrees not to collect rent for the entire duration of the lease. “We want this place to remain a cinema,” assures François Damerval, head of the list in the last municipal elections and opposition politician (various left).

In addition to the 2.2 million euros invested by the two local authorities, the National Center for Cinema and Animated Images (CNC) as well as the Île-de-France region are investing 250,000 euros each in the project. Because the work promises to be important. “Cinema is aging. There is a problem of general obsolescence. The place has really remained in its original state,” continues François Damerval, who is also a shareholder in Paris-Jardins.

“The goal is to offer conviviality”

The future cinema will be made up of two large projection rooms, with 284 seats in total. The third room will be a hybrid space, where screenings, conferences, meetings or even school groups can be held.

“We will not aim to be a multiplex. The goal is to offer conviviality, proximity and to be a cinema of community interest,” says Anne-Marie Jourdanneau Fort. The programming will consist of current and arthouse films, as well as documentaries.

“We are launching the project management architect competition this week,” assures the elected official. The public contracts should be awarded by the end of 2026 and the work is planned for the beginning of 2027. These should, in principle, last less than a year.