“Notice to moviegoers!” reads a translation of the city of Paris website. (And yes, it is Paris, France.) “You may have the chance to participate in the first cinema on the water which will take place on July 18 for the opening of Paris Plages.” It promises “an unusual cinema experience that marks the opening of the summer season.” But, unless you’re from the city of Paris, you may not have heard of the Paris Plages. Or, you may wonder how a cinema on the water works. Here, we’ll unveil the mysteries of the floating movie theater. (1)
Cinema On The Water
When?
The floating movie theater is a one-night-only occasion: July 18th, 2020.
How?
There will be 38 electric boats in the water for the free film screening. Each boat can hold 2-6 people, and the city will be making sure that each boat contains only one social group, to make sure social distancing protocols are kept. Because it is free, it was decided that tickets will be raffled off. The registration for the raffle runs until July 15th, 2020, so if you’re in Paris, you still have time to enter into the draw!
What’re We Watching?
The movie is Le Grand Bain, which is a 2018 French comedy about a group of men who start synchronized swimming. It will be preceded by the short film A Corona Story. This movie won a contest put on by Mk2, a movie theater chain. Mk2 is also jointly sponsoring the floating cinema, along with the city of Paris, and ice cream company Häagen-Daz.
What Time?
The boats will begin loading moviegoers at 6:30, and the movie will end around 11 pm. (2)
The Paris Plages
The official website of the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Paris has a question for you. “So,” they say, “you’d like to lay back in a sun lounger and read a book by the water’s edge?” If your answer to that question is a resounding yes, then there’s “no need to travel great distances: from 6 July to 1 September, the beach comes to Paris!”
It’s a beautiful sentiment, but what exactly does it entail? The Paris Plages is an urban beach experience. The Right Bank of the Seine was the original location. However, in 2019, they expanded to the Parc Rives de Seine, the Quai de Loire and Quai de Seine at the Bassin de la Villette, and the esplanade of City Hall. There are palm trees and giant umbrellas brought onto the spaces. (3)
What Can You Do There?
In the past, the Paris Plages has had a wide variety of attractions. There’s an assortment of board games, books, and comics for people to borrow. They have foosball and children’s minigolf. There are theatres and circus workshops. If you’re into more physical activity, you can go to an assortment of dance classes, tai chi workshops, and other “energy arts.”
However, there is no news on the Convention and Visitors Bureau website about what 2020’s Paris Plages will have in store. It’s possible some of those things will still go on, however. (3)
