Europe discovered the cinematograph of the Lumière brothers with the first paid screenings in 1896 in Paris. It only took a few months for the distant New Caledonia to also benefit from the achievements of these two engineers. On April 8, 1897, a certain Mr. Plane arrived on the aptly named steamship Ville-de-la-Ciotat, carrying a precious cargo in his luggage. The film reel of Auguste and Louis Lumière’s The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat was unpacked. The film was screened during several sessions at the City Hall of Nouméa. Cinema had arrived on the island, and the people of New Caledonia took a liking to it.

We will meet the great families who helped develop these cinemas throughout New Caledonia: Hickson, of course, but also Ménard, Kativinéca, Oghino… Each interviewee—a descendant, a former projectionist—will share their connection to one or more cinemas, their memories of films, encounters, emotions… Some were even born thanks to cinema!

Since 1897, all Caledonians have a story with their movie theaters, an anecdote, a kiss exchanged in the shadow of the projector, stories of friendships, jokes, fears…

This film is a journey through time, tracing the old cinemas, but also a journey through the history of cinema. It covers films that have marked the whole world: Ben Hur, Once Upon a Time in the West, Saturday Night Fever, Titanic, Avatar… Movies that left an impression on both Caledonians and global audiences. It’s a bridge between personal, intimate stories and the broader history of humanity.

“Caledonian Cinema” is also proof that movie theaters, despite wars, economic crises, technological advancements, the arrival of television in homes, video cassettes, the internet, and streaming platforms, rise like phoenixes, always coming back. Because in a dark theater, the emotions experienced are special and unique.

“Caledonian Cinema” is a documentary about the memories that connect us, about the emotions each viewer has felt in front of a big screen. A film that speaks to everyone, for everyone.