Films showing in English in Paris are already on one page. Instead of opening a dozen cinema websites and decoding each timetable, you can see the films playing in English across the city's cinemas in one place. English Cinema Paris pulls together English-language screenings from cinemas all over Paris, and the listings are updated daily, so you check one page instead of many.
Do I still need to check each cinema's website?
No. That was the old routine: visit every cinema's site each week, work out which showings were in the original English and which were dubbed, and hope you did not miss one. English Cinema Paris does that gathering for you. Open the films page for the full programme, use today’s English screenings for a trip today, or browse the cinemas we cover to plan around a screen near you.
What do VO, VOST and VOSTFR mean?
French cinemas use a few labels to tell you whether you will hear the original soundtrack or a French dub.
- VO (version originale) means the film plays in its original language. For an English-language film, that is the original English audio.
- VOST and VOSTFR (version originale sous-titrée, sous-titrée en français) mean the original soundtrack with subtitles; VOSTFR specifies French subtitles. The audio is English only if English is the film’s original language.
- VF (version française) means the French-language version, including a French dub of a foreign-language film. This is the one to avoid if you want to watch in English.
The short version: look for VO, VOST or VOSTFR next to an English-language film and you will hear it in English. English Cinema Paris only includes screenings with English audio. A French film with English subtitles serves a different audience and does not qualify. On a cinema operator’s own broader programme or booking page, check the audio and subtitle details for your session.
Where can I watch films in English by neighbourhood?
English-language screenings turn up in art house cinemas and big multiplexes alike, spread right across the city. Here is a tour by area, each cinema linking to its page with current showings.
The Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain (5th and 6th)
The Left Bank has a cluster of small independent cinemas around the Rue des Écoles and Rue Champollion. Worth a look: La Filmothèque du Quartier Latin, Christine Cinéma Club, Écoles Cinéma Club, Le Champo, Le Grand Action, Espace Saint-Michel and Saint-André des Arts.
The Grands Boulevards and Opéra (2nd and 9th)
Head here for a bigger night out. Le Grand Rex, on the grands boulevards, is an Art Deco cinema. Nearby are Max Linder Panorama, Pathé Palace, Pathé BNP Paribas and UGC Opéra.
Les Halles and the Marais (1st, 3rd and 4th)
In the centre, UGC Ciné Cité les Halles is a central multiplex in the Forum des Halles. Its official programme and visitor information give access via Place Carrée, useful when arriving through the Châtelet–Les Halles transport hub. Also here: Luminor Hôtel de Ville and MK2 Beaubourg.
Bastille, Nation and Bercy (11th and 12th)
Over in the east, UGC Ciné Cité Bercy sits near the Cinémathèque française, the film archive in the 12th arrondissement that screens films from around the world. See Cinémathèque française, plus MK2 Bastille - Beaumarchais.
Montparnasse and Alésia (6th and 14th)
South of the river you will find Pathé Parnasse, UGC Montparnasse, Pathé Alésia and Chaplin Denfert.
The 13th: Bibliothèque and Gobelins
Near the Seine and the national library, look at MK2 Bibliothèque on avenue de France. Elsewhere in the 13th, UGC Gobelins and Pathé Les Fauvettes are on avenue des Gobelins.
The northeast: Canal Saint-Martin and La Villette (10th and 19th)
Around the canals and the 19th, try UGC Ciné Cité Paris 19, Pathé La Villette, MK2 Quai de Loire, L'Archipel and Le Brady.
Western Paris and Porte Maillot (8th and 17th)
To the west, UGC Ciné Cité Maillot at Porte Maillot and Publicis Cinémas on the Champs-Élysées carry original-version showings.
The southwest (15th)
In the 15th, Pathé Beaugrenelle is by the river and Gaumont Aquaboulevard is down near Balard.
Montmartre and the 18th
Up in the north, Pathé Wepler near Place de Clichy and Studio 28 in Montmartre round out the map.
Repertory films or a new release?
For classics and retrospectives, start with La Filmothèque’s official programme. For cinema clubs and screenings with discussions, see Le Grand Action. These are useful alternatives to choosing solely by the nearest multiplex; their programmes include films in several languages, so consult the session’s audio details on the operator’s site. For a central multiplex, UGC Ciné Cité Les Halles is another place to compare with the English screenings listed here.
The simplest way to plan a night out
Pick a film, pick a neighbourhood, and go. Start with the films showing in English, browse the full list of cinemas, and if you would rather have it come to you, sign up for the weekly newsletter. No more cinema-website chores.
