Festival Lumière
The festival that celebrates heritage cinema in the city where it was born
2026
About Festival Lumière
Festival Lumière — edition 2026
The 18th edition of the Festival Lumière will take place from Saturday, October 10th to Sunday, October 18th, 2026, in Lyon and the surrounding metropolitan area. Joel and Ethan Coen will be presented with the 18th Prix Lumière on Friday, October 16th, accompanied by a retrospective of their filmography. For the first time, the Village Cinéma will be hosted at the Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu. As of mid-August 2026, the full program has not yet been released: only the opening night, two film-concerts, and the Marché international du film classique have been announced.
18th edition, from October 10th to 18th, 2026
The Festival Lumière returns to Lyon from Saturday, October 10th to Sunday, October 18th, 2026. The Institut Lumière hosts events across some fifty locations throughout the metropolis, attracting over 160,000 festival-goers each year. The 2025 edition saw 185,000 attendees, with 137,000 tickets issued and over 10,000 accreditations.
Joel and Ethan Coen, 18th Prix Lumière
The 2026 Prix Lumière will be awarded to Joel and Ethan Coen, the creative minds behind Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and No Country for Old Men. This marks the second time the award has been given to a directing duo, following Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne in 2020. They will receive the prize on October 16th, and their films will be showcased in a retrospective featuring many restored prints, alongside special event screenings.
The Village Cinéma moves to the Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu
For the first time, the Village Cinéma is leaving the Institut Lumière park for the Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu, located within the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, which was restored in 2019. Spanning 2,000 m² with free admission, it features a café, restaurant, bar, bookstore, DVD market, exhibitions, meet-and-greets, and events, as well as the hub for the Marché international du film classique and the press office. Just an eight-minute metro ride away, the Institut Lumière and the rue du Premier-Film remain the festival's other core hub, housing the Hangar and Villa Lumière cinemas, the bookstore, the gallery, and the café-restaurant.
Accreditations and ticketing
The 2026 Lumière accreditation is on sale from July 1st to October 27th: €14 until September 1st, after which the price increases; it is free for those under 26. It offers tickets at €6.50 instead of €8.50, discounts on major events, last-minute ticket access during the festival, free entry to exhibitions, and discounts at the Premier-Film bookstore and the Village Cinéma. General ticketing is not yet open: only the opening night and the October 17th film-concert are currently on sale.
Highlights Festival Lumière 2026
- Joel and Ethan Coen will receive the 18th Prix Lumière on Friday, October 16th, with a retrospective of their films in often-restored prints. This is the second time the award has gone to two filmmakers, following the Dardenne brothers in 2020.
- Opening night on Saturday, October 10th at 6:00 PM at the Halle Tony Garnier.
- The Village Cinéma moves from the Institut Lumière park to the Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu: 2,000 m² with free admission.
- Two film-concerts at the Auditorium de Lyon: the Orchestre national de Lyon on October 15th, and Clara Bow's "It" accompanied by grand organ on the 17th.
- 14th Marché international du film classique from October 13th to 16th, featuring a focus on Taiwanese cinema.
Programme Festival Lumière 2026
Saturday, October 10th, 2026 — Opening
- 6:00 PM — Opening night of the 18th edition · Halle Tony Garnier, 20 place Docteurs Charles et Christophe Mérieux, Lyon 7th. In the presence of the public, artists, and film industry professionals. The evening's program will be revealed at a later date. €20, €17 for accredited guests.
Tuesday, October 13th, 2026
- Opening of the 14th Marché international du film classique (MIFC) at the Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu, 4 Grand Cloître du Grand Hôtel-Dieu, Lyon 2nd. Reserved for accredited professionals, with daily complimentary lunches and cocktails. Full titles and speakers will be announced later.
- MIFC · Round table: "Is classic cinema too old?"
- MIFC · Interview with a special guest
- MIFC · Round table: "Hyper-distribution"
- MIFC · Innovation pitches from the Classics Innovation Corner
- MIFC · European country in the spotlight: case study, reception, and market screening
- MIFC · Festival party
Wednesday, October 14th, 2026
- MIFC · Exhibitors' breakfast
- MIFC · Case study: "The museumification of heritage cinema"
- MIFC · Cataloguers' meeting
- MIFC · Interview with a special guest
- MIFC · European student workshop
- MIFC · Distributors and exhibitors meeting
- MIFC · Round table: "How is the value chain created?"
Thursday, October 15th, 2026
- 8:00 PM — Film-concert with the Orchestre national de Lyon · Auditorium de Lyon, Main Hall, 149 rue Garibaldi, Lyon 3rd. The film title will be announced later. Festival Lumière pricing applies.
- MIFC · Legal round table: "International co-productions"
- MIFC · Interview with a special guest
- MIFC · Europe round table
- MIFC · Re>Birth Programme: pitch session and one-to-one meetings
- MIFC · AgoraEU follow-up meeting
- MIFC · Exhibitors' path screening
- MIFC · Taiwan in Focus: case study, reception, and market screening
Friday, October 16th, 2026
- Presentation of the 18th Prix Lumière to Joel and Ethan Coen. Time and location to be announced. A retrospective of their filmography, often in restored prints, will accompany the ceremony, along with a series of special screenings.
- MIFC · Technical round table
- MIFC · Conversation with the CNC
- MIFC · Closing lunch
- MIFC · Interview with guests of honor
Saturday, October 17th, 2026
- 6:00 PM — Film-concert: "It" (1927) by Clarence G. Badger, USA, silent, black and white, 1h22, starring Clara Bow, Antonio Moreno, William Austin, Jacqueline Gadsdon, and Gary Cooper. Improvised organ accompaniment by Gabriele Agrimonti · Auditorium de Lyon, Main Hall, 149 rue Garibaldi, Lyon 3rd. €19, €17 for Auditorium subscribers, Lumière accredited guests, and those under 26.
Ongoing throughout the festival
- Village Cinéma, at the Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu: 2,000 m² with free admission, featuring a café, restaurant, bar, bookstore, DVD market, exhibitions, meet-and-greets, and events. It also hosts the MIFC professional areas and the international press office.
- Institut Lumière and rue du Premier-Film, an eight-minute metro ride away: Hangar and Villa Lumière cinemas, bookstore, gallery, and café-restaurant.
- Focus on Taiwan at the MIFC, with the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute: panel on Taiwanese film heritage (working title), Re>Birth Programme, market screening of the 4K restoration of "Osmanthus Alley" by Chen Kun-hou (1987, original Taiwanese version with English subtitles), networking event, exhibition of Taiwanese film posters, and TFAI booth. Reserved for accredited professionals.
- Festival Daily: published every morning, distributed at the village and in theaters, and available for online download.
What has not yet been published
As of mid-August 2026, the Institut Lumière has only announced these events. Retrospectives, including the one dedicated to the Coens, the Lumière Classics selection, screenings in metropolitan theaters, and the full schedule have not yet been released, and general ticketing is not open. In 2025, the press conference presenting the program was held on September 10th, one month before the opening.
Prices Festival Lumière 2026
2026 Lumière accreditation: €14 until September 1st, then higher rate; free for those under 26. On sale from July 1st to October 27th, 2026.
Opening night on October 10th at the Halle Tony Garnier: €20, €17 for accredited guests.
"It" film-concert on October 17th at the Auditorium de Lyon: €19, €17 for Auditorium subscribers, accredited guests, and those under 26.
Village Cinéma at the Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu: free admission.
Prices for other screenings and major events have not yet been published.
Practical information — Festival Lumière
Access
Institut Lumière (Hangar du Premier-Film and Villa Lumière): 25 rue du Premier-Film, 69008 Lyon. Metro D, Monplaisir-Lumière station; bus C16, Monplaisir-Lumière or Place Ambroise Courtois stop.
Village Cinéma and International Classic Film Market: Cité de l'Hôtel-Dieu, 4 Grand Cloître du Grand Hôtel-Dieu, 69002 Lyon.
Halle Tony Garnier: 20 place Docteurs Charles et Christophe Mérieux, 69007 Lyon. Metro B, Debourg stop; tram T1, Halle Tony Garnier station; buses 34, 60, and C7.
Pathé Bellecour: 79 rue de la République, 69002 Lyon. Metro A and D, Bellecour - A. Poncet station.
Auditorium de Lyon: 149 rue Garibaldi, 69003 Lyon. Metro B, Place Guichard stop; tram T1, Part-Dieu - Servient stop; T3 and T4, Gare Part-Dieu - Villette stop.
Screenings are held in about fifty venues across the Lyon Metropolis, all accessible by public transport.
Rates
- Screening: €8.50 full price, €6.50 for accredited guests
- Accreditation: €14 until September 1st, then a higher rate; free for those under 26
- Village Cinéma: Free admission
Ticketing and Contact
Accreditations and tickets are available at festival-lumiere.org/billetterie and at partner cinemas. Institut Lumière, 25 rue du Premier-Film, 69008 Lyon · +33 (0)4 78 78 18 95 · [email protected].
Festival Lumière: The Grand Celebration of Heritage Cinema
The Festival Lumière was established in 2009 by the Institut Lumière with a clear mission: to celebrate heritage cinema in the very city where it was invented. Directed by Thierry Frémaux, who serves as both the General Director of the Institut Lumière and the General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, it has grown into the world's largest festival dedicated to classic cinema.
The Prix Lumière
The highlight of every edition is the presentation of the Prix Lumière, an honorary award given to a figure who has left an indelible mark on film history. The list of laureates includes: Clint Eastwood (2009), Milos Forman (2010), Gérard Depardieu (2011), Ken Loach (2012), Quentin Tarantino (2013), Pedro Almodóvar (2014), Martin Scorsese (2015), Catherine Deneuve (2016), Wong Kar-wai (2017), Jane Fonda (2018), Francis Ford Coppola (2019), Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (2020), Jane Campion (2021), Tim Burton (2022), Wim Wenders (2023), Isabelle Huppert (2024), Michael Mann (2025), and Joel and Ethan Coen (2026). Each winner films their own version of La Sortie de l'usine Lumière on the Rue du Premier-Film and has their name added to the wall of filmmakers.
Lyon and its Metropolis, for Nine Days
The festival takes place across some fifty venues throughout the Lyon Metropolitan area. Major screenings are held at the Halle Tony Garnier, the Auditorium de Lyon, the Amphithéâtre 3000, and the Célestins, Théâtre de Lyon. Screenings also occupy the Institut Lumière (Hangar du Premier-Film and Villa Lumière), Pathé Bellecour, Comœdia, Lumière Terreaux, UGC Ciné Cité Confluence, and UGC Astoria, along with 22 partner cinemas across 21 municipalities: Bron, Vénissieux, Villeurbanne, Caluire, Rillieux-la-Pape, Vaulx-en-Velin, Décines, Meyzieu, Saint-Priest, Corbas, Mions, Saint-Genis-Laval, Pierre-Bénite, Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, Francheville, Craponne, Tassin-la-Demi-Lune, Écully, Charbonnières-les-Bains, Dardilly, and Neuville-sur-Saône.
A Program Blending Heritage and Discovery
Every year, the Festival Lumière hosts hundreds of screenings, including complete retrospectives, newly restored films, rarities and curiosities, restoration premieres, film-concerts, masterclasses, and guest talks. The International Classic Film Market, created by the festival, runs concurrently, bringing together professionals from the heritage film industry.
A Festival for Everyone
The festival attracts over 160,000 attendees annually, reaching 185,000 for the 2025 edition. Tickets are €8.50 at full price and €6.50 for accredited guests, with free accreditation for those under 26. The festival also organizes screenings in hospitals and prisons, provides subtitled screenings for the deaf and hard of hearing, and offers solidarity pricing.
Where does it take place — Festival Lumière
Festival Lumière in brief
History of Festival Lumière
Edition 2025 Oct 2025Other festivals near Lyon
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