Les Reflets du Cinéma

A Cinematic Journey Around the World

Since 1997, Les Reflets du Cinéma has offered Mayenne audiences an annual immersion into the cinema of a country or cultural area. Founded by Jean-Yves Roy and Antoine Glémain within the association Atmosphères 53, the festival has become a must-attend event in Mayenne's cultural landscape, attracting over 25,000 spectators each year.

A Rich and Accessible Program

Each edition features a selection of over fifty films—features and shorts—screened in original version with subtitles across the department's eleven cinemas. The program blends heritage films, recent works, previews, and exclusives, offering a comprehensive and nuanced panorama of the featured country's cinematic output. Screenings for young audiences allow families to share the discovery of world cinema.

Much More Than Just Cinema

Beyond screenings, Les Reflets du Cinéma offers a program of cultural activities that enrich the spectator experience. Conferences and debates delve deeper into the themes explored in the films. Photographic and artistic exhibitions accompany the program. Live performances—theater, music, dance—provide complementary insights into the highlighted culture. Practical workshops introduce the public to filmmaking techniques, while professional round tables bring together industry professionals.

Prestigious Guests Meet the Public

Each year, around twenty guests—directors, actors, technicians, journalists, academics, and distributors—travel to Mayenne to present their work and engage with the audience. These privileged encounters are a highlight of the festival and help forge a direct link between creators and spectators.

A Festival Rooted Throughout the Department

One of the strengths of Les Reflets du Cinéma is its local anchoring. The festival unfolds in eleven cinemas spread across the entire Mayenne department: in Laval (L'Avant-Scène and Cinéville), Mayenne (Le Vox), Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne (Le Palace), Évron, Ernée, Gorron, Montsûrs, Craon, Le Bourgneuf-la-Forêt, and Villaines-la-Juhel. This distribution allows it to reach a diverse audience, in both urban and rural areas, in line with Atmosphères 53's mission to make cinema accessible to everyone throughout the territory.

Atmosphères 53, Driving Cinema in Mayenne

The association Atmosphères 53, created in 1989, is a departmental cinema association dedicated to media literacy and the promotion of auteur cinema (fiction and documentary) to all audiences. Beyond Les Reflets du Cinéma, it coordinates the department's cinema network, organizes media education programs for schools, and develops cultural activities year-round. The festival is supported by the CNC, the DRAC des Pays de la Loire, the Conseil départemental de la Mayenne, the Conseil régional, and local authorities.