Cinémathèque Française

The Cinémathèque Française is identifiable by its striking, postmodern stone exterior, which shifts from calm, traditional Parisian limestone walls on the street side to a dramatic cascade of fragmented, tilted volumes and glazed folds facing the Parc de Bercy. Founded in nineteen thirty-six by Henri Langlois and Georges Franju, this institution serves as a vast archive for the art of film. It preserves a massive collection of reels, cameras, costumes, and props, including iconic items like the robot from Metropolis and the head of Mrs. Bates from Psycho.