Zones Portuaires
Festival of port cities' cinema
About Zones Portuaires
Zones Portuaires: Cinema Along the World's Ports
Since 2015, the Zones Portuaires film festival has invited Saint-Nazaire audiences to embark on a cinematic journey to a port city around the world each year. Supported by the association Cales Obscures, founded in 2014, and born from a partnership with the cinéma Jacques Tati, this unique festival questions the cinematic representations of maritime and port territories, from a global to a local scale.
An Ambitious and Accessible Program
The festival's program is built around the invited port city and is divided into several sections: documentaries, features, short films, and animated films. It is enriched by meetings with filmmakers and cinema professionals, exhibitions, concerts, and workshops. Each edition also features a focus on a sport or cultural practice related to the port territory explored.
The festival pays particular attention to outreach and accessibility, with a school program including a middle school prize, middle and high school tracks, and Ciné-Mousses screenings organized before the festival in partner cinemas in the region.
A Journey from Port to Port
Throughout its editions, Zones Portuaires has explored the cinematographies of Saint-Nazaire, New York, the far North of Scandinavia, Southern Italy, Athens, Dakar, Lisbon, Beirut, and Helsinki. Each invited city provides an opportunity to address the social, political, geographical, human, and environmental issues of port territories through the lens of cinema.
A Festival Rooted in its Territory
Each year, Zones Portuaires takes over several emblematic venues in Saint-Nazaire and its region: the cinéma Jacques Tati, the LiFe (contemporary art space in the submarine base), the Cinéville, the cinema Le Pax in Pornichet, and La Toile de Mer. The LiFe serves as the festival's hub, offering a friendly space with a bar, food, exhibitions, and the on-site bookstore L'Oiseau Tempête. The festival is supported or co-organized by nearly forty cultural, economic, and associative players in the region.
Zones Portuaires — edition 2026
The 11th edition of the Zones Portuaires festival was held from May 5 to 10, 2026 in Saint-Nazaire and in several cinemas in the area (Pornic, Pornichet, Le Pouliguen, Préfailles). This edition set sail for the ports of Ireland — Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and Galway — with approximately 30 to 50 screenings of Irish feature and short films, both classic and contemporary, accompanied by meetings with about twenty directors, researchers, and musicians. The festival opened on Tuesday, May 5 with a cine-concert of Man of Aran (Robert Flaherty, 1934) accompanied live by Christine Ott and the duo Snowdrops, before 200 people at LiFE.
11th edition — The Ports of Ireland (May 5-10, 2026)
For its 11th edition, from May 5 to 10, 2026, Zones Portuaires set sail for the ports of Ireland: Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and Galway, all port cities that mark the history and current events of cinema. This edition explored the entire island — without north-south division — through its social, political, geographical, human, and environmental issues, seen through the prism of Irish cinema.
Opening with a cine-concert
The festival opened on Tuesday, May 5 at 7 PM at LiFE with a cine-concert of Man of Aran (Robert Flaherty, 1934), accompanied live by pianist and ondist Christine Ott with the duo Snowdrops. Approximately 200 people attended the inauguration.
A selection of classic and contemporary films
Nearly fifty feature and short films were presented, mixing great Irish classics and contemporary productions:
- Classics: The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952), Ryan's Daughter (David Lean, 1970), The Dead (John Huston, in 35 mm at Cinéma Jacques Tati)
- Recent Productions: Belfast (Kenneth Branagh, 2021), The Quiet Girl (Colm Bairéad), Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008), Kneecap (Rich Pepiatt), Crock of Gold — A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (Julian Temple)
- Premieres: The Whale and the Musician (with composer Rone), The Flats, Christy and his Brother (Grand Prize at the Berlin Film Festival), Aontas, Celtic Utopia, Frank, Garage, The Bookseller of Belfast
- Youth Animations: Tomm Moore retrospective (Brendan and the Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers)
- Carte Blanche to the Cork Film Festival with a selection of short films
Meetings and conferences
About twenty guests came to present their films and lead discussions: directors Henri-François Imbert (On Belfast Beach), Vincent Pouplard (At Nights), Damian McCann (Aontas), Neasa Ní Chianáin, Alessandra Celesia, Lars Lovén; actors Brian McCarthy, Diarmuid Noyes, Richard Lennon; editor John Murphy (The Quiet Girl); researchers Hélène Alfaro-Hamayon, Charlotte Barcat, Sean Crosson, Erick Falc'her-Poyroux, Yann Tholoniat, as well as programmer Federico Rossin who gave an Irish cinema history lesson.
Exhibitions and creations
The photographic exhibition Following Ulysses by Irish photographer Deirdre Brennan, inspired by James Joyce's work and exploring contemporary Dublin, was presented with free access at LiFE throughout the festival. Experimental short films and sound installations (including a creation by Rone, a podcast episode by Antoine Tricot on dockers, an installation by students from the Beaux-Arts of Nantes/Saint-Nazaire) were also offered continuously.
Irish Festive Evenings
Several festive highlights punctuated the week at LiFE:
- A traditional Irish dance (céilí) with violins and flutes
- A darts tournament “like in a pub”
- An introduction to Gaelic football
- The “Émilie's Evening” (blind test and karaoke)
- DJ sets with Irish music at the cinema
Professional Meeting
A professional meeting dedicated to filming in port and maritime areas brought together technicians, producers, and institutions.
School Program
As every year, the festival offered an extensive school program: the middle schoolers' prize (awarded at the closing), a middle school track, two high school tracks — including a new feature in 2026: a high school track organized at LiFE.
Summary
After a 2025 edition that gathered over 5,500 spectators, this 11th edition confirmed the festival's roots in the cultural landscape of Saint-Nazaire and the Atlantic region.
Programme Zones Portuaires 2026
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 — Opening
- 7:00 PM — LiFE: Opening Cine-concert — Man of Aran (Robert Flaherty, 1934), accompanied live by Christine Ott and the Snowdrops duo (8 €)
Wednesday, May 6 to Saturday, May 9, 2026
From Wednesday to Saturday, continuous screenings at LiFE (La Cale Obscure), Cinéma Jacques Tati, Cinéville, and partner cinemas, interspersed with meetings with invited directors and researchers.
Selection of programmed films (from official sources):
- The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952)
- The Dead (John Huston) — 35 mm screening at Cinéma Jacques Tati
- Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008) — presentation by Charlotte Barcat
- Belfast (Kenneth Branagh, 2021)
- The Quiet Girl (Colm Bairéad) — presentation by John Murphy, editor
- Aontas (Damian McCann) — in the presence of the director
- The Flats (Alessandra Celesia)
- Christy and his Brother (Diarmuid Noyes) — Grand Prize Berlin
- Celtic Utopia (Lars Lovén)
- Kneecap (Rich Pepiatt) — presentation by Erick Falc'her-Poyroux
- Crock of Gold — A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (Julian Temple)
- Frank and Garage (Lenny Abrahamson)
- The Bookseller of Belfast (Alessandra Celesia)
- The Whale and the Musician — premiere in the presence of composer Rone and bioacoustician Olivier Adam
- On Belfast Beach — in the presence of Henri-François Imbert
- At Nights — in the presence of Vincent Pouplard
- Culchie (carte blanche Cork Film Festival) — presentation by Brian McCarthy and Richard Lennon
- Blue Road — presentation by Yann Tholoniat
- The Little Disciples of Plato (Neasa Ní Chianáin)
- A Battle But Not War — presentation by Antoine Tricot
- Quayside Rendezvous — presentation by Tangui Perron
- Tomm Moore Retrospective (youth): Brendan and the Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers
Parallel events throughout the festival:
- Photographic exhibition Following Ulysses by Deirdre Brennan — LiFE, free access
- Sound installations and experimental short films — LiFE
- Irish dance (céilí), darts tournament, introduction to Gaelic football, blind test and karaoke “Émilie's Evening”, DJ sets — LiFE
- Irish cinema history lesson by Federico Rossin
- Professional meeting “Filming in port and maritime areas”
Sunday, May 10, 2026 — Closing
- Screening of Ryan's Daughter (David Lean, 1970)
- Awarding of the middle schoolers' prize
The full program, precise timings, and locations session by session, are available on the official website and in the festival's Calaméo brochure.
Highlights Zones Portuaires 2026
- Dates: from Tuesday, May 5 to Sunday, May 10, 2026 (edition concluded)
- Destination: the ports of Ireland — Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway
- 11th edition of the Zones Portuaires film festival
- Nearly 50 Irish feature and short films, classic and contemporary
- Opening with a cine-concert: Man of Aran (Flaherty, 1934) with Christine Ott and the Snowdrops duo — 200 people
- About twenty guests (directors, actors, researchers, musicians)
- Carte Blanche to the Cork Film Festival and Tomm Moore retrospective
- Exhibition Following Ulysses by Deirdre Brennan at LiFE
- Irish festive evenings: céilí dance, darts, Gaelic football, blind test
- New in 2026: a high school track at LiFE in the school program
- Locations: LiFE (submarine base), Cinéma Jacques Tati, Cinéville, Anne Frank library, and partner cinemas in Pornichet, Le Pouliguen, Préfailles, and Pornic
Prices Zones Portuaires 2026
Practical information — Zones Portuaires
Practical Information
Festival Venues
Festival screenings and events take place in several locations in Saint-Nazaire and its region:
- LiFE — Submarine Base — Boulevard de la Légion d'Honneur, 44600 Saint-Nazaire (festival reception point, « La Cale Obscure » room, exhibitions, concerts, bar, catering, L'Oiseau Tempête bookstore)
- Cinéma Jacques Tati — 2 bis avenue Albert de Mun, 44600 Saint-Nazaire — 02 40 53 69 63
- Cinéville Saint-Nazaire — 5 boulevard de la Légion d'Honneur, 44600 Saint-Nazaire
- Bibliothèque Anne Frank — Saint-Nazaire (free access)
- La Toile de Mer — Pornichet
- Cinéma Pax — Le Pouliguen
- L'Atlantique — Préfailles
- Ciné Toiles de Retz — Pornic
Ticketing and Prices
- LiFE : free access to exhibitions and the convivial area
- Cinema screening at La Cale Obscure (LiFE): 1 €
- Cine-concert at LiFE: 8 €
- Screening in partner cinemas: 7 € full price, reduced prices depending on the venue, 4.50 € for under 18s
- Bibliothèque Anne Frank and VIP areas: free access
The festival is eligible for the Pass Culture.
Access
- By train : Saint-Nazaire station (TER from Nantes in 1h, TGV from Paris via Nantes). Cinéma Jacques Tati is about a 10-minute walk from the station.
- By bus : STRAN network, lines serving Saint-Nazaire city centre and the submarine base.
- By car : Saint-Nazaire is accessible via the N171 from Nantes (60 km). Parking lots near Cinéma Jacques Tati and the submarine base.
Contact
Association Cales Obscures
Maison des associations Agora 1901
2 bis avenue Albert de Mun
44600 Saint-Nazaire
Phone: 07 66 04 34 63
Email: [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Zones Portuaires
Cinéma Jacques Tati et LiFe — Base sous-marine
2 bis avenue Albert de Mun, 44600 Saint-Nazaire