UPDATE 2000: Good News from Paris

Abstract

Reflecting upon the current situation of world cinema, one can hardly get away from the gloomy news and dark predictions hailing from all directions: decline of national productions and cinema culture in general, Hollywood domination, style homogenisation - in other words, the end of cinema, the Millennium... Occasionally, however, good news comes our way, too. This time from France - where the legendary Cinémathèque, founded in 1936 by Henri Langlois and currently housed in the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, will soon be moving to new premises in the 12th arrondissement (the former American Centre near Bercy), together with the Film library (BIFI) situated today near the Bastille. The Cinémathèque's new home, Maison du cinéma, designed in 1994 by the renowned architect Frank Gehry (he has built the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao) is supposed to receive its new tenant in the year 2000.Situated in a popular quarter now in a process...