26/09/2026
The Lumière Festival (Festival Lumière) is one of the world’s great celebrations of classic cinema, held each October in Lyon — the very city where, in 1895, the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph and shot the first films. Founded in 2009 and run by the Institut Lumière, the festival is a week-long homage to film heritage, showing beautifully restored classics, hosting premieres, retrospectives, exhibitions, film concerts and masterclasses, and welcoming great names of world cinema. Its centrepiece is the prestigious Lumière Award, given each year to a major figure of the film world. The 2026 edition — the 18th — takes place from 10 to 18 October, with the Lumière Award going to the Coen Brothers.
What to See
Over the week, more than 450 screenings fill some forty cinemas across Lyon and the surrounding metropolis, from grand restored masterpieces and silent films with live musical accompaniment to tributes, themed retrospectives and rediscovered gems, often introduced by the film-makers and stars themselves. The festival is famous for its warm, cinephile atmosphere and its access to legends of cinema, who give masterclasses and receive the Lumière Award at a gala ceremony. At its heart is the Institut Lumière, on the site of the original Lumière factory and family villa in the 8th arrondissement, where the world’s first film was shot — now a museum of cinema that is well worth visiting in its own right. Screenings and events also take place in the historic Halle Tony Garnier and cinemas around the city.
How to Get There and Practical Information
Lyon is France’s second city, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, reached by TGV in about two hours from Paris and served by its own international airport; the Institut Lumière and most festival venues are easily reached by the city’s metro and tram network. In 2026 the Lumière Festival runs from 10 to 18 October. Screenings and masterclasses are ticketed, with individual tickets and festival passes available, and popular sessions and the Lumière Award ceremony sell out quickly, so booking ahead is advisable. The festival is a wonderful excuse to explore Lyon — its UNESCO-listed old town, its Renaissance traboules and its celebrated cuisine — and it pairs naturally with a visit to the Institut Lumière’s museum.
Weather in location: Lumière Festival 2026, Lyon, France
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