États Généraux du Film Documentaire de Lussas
The global meeting point for author documentary cinema in Ardèche
2026
About États Généraux de Lussas
États Généraux de Lussas — edition 2026
The 38th edition of the États Généraux du Film Documentaire takes place from August 16 to 22, 2026 in Lussas, Ardèche. For a week, the village becomes a major hub for meetings and exchanges centered around authorial documentary cinema, open to both the general public and professionals.
A Week of Documentary Cinema in Lussas
From August 16 to 22, 2026, the États Généraux du Film Documentaire brings together nearly 130 films in Lussas, as well as meetings, seminars, professional days, and workshops, in several screening rooms and a video library, with screenings in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
The event is organized by the Ardèche Images association. Its program usually revolves around several recurring sections: «Expériences du regard» (recent and rarely distributed works), «Histoire de documentaire» (History of Documentary), «Fragment d'une œuvre» (retrospectives and discoveries of filmographies), and «Routes du doc» (perspectives on documentary outside European borders), complemented by open-air screenings in the evening and projections in surrounding villages.
The detailed program for the 2026 edition (films, screenings, seminars, and guests) will be published by the organizer in the weeks leading up to the festival.
Practical information — États Généraux de Lussas
Access
The festival takes place in Lussas (07170), a village located between Aubenas and Villeneuve-de-Berg in Ardèche.
- By car: From Lyon (2h), take the A7 then the N102 towards Aubenas/Villeneuve-de-Berg. From Montélimar (40 min), take the N102 towards Aubenas.
- By train: Montélimar SNCF station, then bus or carpooling connection.
- Parking: Free parking in the village.
Prices
- Week accreditation: professional and general public rates available
- Certain screenings: free access
Contact
Information and accreditation on lussasdoc.org
A unique festival dedicated to author documentary
The États Généraux du Film Documentaire were founded in 1989 in Lussas, a small village in southern Ardèche, at the initiative of the Bande à Lumière and the association Ardèche Images. Jean-Marie Barbe, originally from Lussas, had participated since 1983 in the creation of the Bande à Lumière to support documentary film, a genre then poorly supported by public cinema funding policies. The festival is a non-competitive event: there are no prizes, no jury, no awards, but a desire to showcase and discuss documentary cinema in all its diversity.
A week of cinema, reflection, and meetings
Every year in August, over 5,000 festival-goers converge on Lussas for a full week of screenings, seminars, professional meetings, and debates. The program features over 150 documentary films from around the world, divided into different sections: thematic selections, retrospectives, "fragment of a work" sessions, and the "Routes du Doc" which explore documentary creation by geographical area.
Lussas, documentary village
The festival is only the most visible part of a unique ecosystem dedicated to documentary film, animated year-round by the collective Ardèche Images. Lussas also hosts the École documentaire de Lussas, a leading professional training program, as well as the streaming platform Tënk, dedicated to author documentary film. This small village of a few hundred inhabitants has thus become a global hub for documentary cinema.
A commitment to independent cinema
Since its creation, the États Généraux have championed free and independent documentary cinema, far from standardized formats and commercial logic. Seminars and round tables address issues of creation, production, distribution, and cultural policy. The festival is a place for collective reflection on the role of documentary film in contemporary society, welcoming filmmakers, producers, distributors, and critics from around the world.
An international reference
After more than 35 editions, the États Généraux du Film Documentaire de Lussas have established themselves as one of the major global events for documentary cinema. The 2025 edition, the 37th, notably highlighted international conflicts through the lens of documentary film. The festival contributes to the cultural influence of Ardèche and attracts a passionate audience from all over France and abroad.
Where does it take place — États Généraux de Lussas
États Généraux de Lussas in brief
Other festivals near Lussas
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)