Spectateurs !

When Paul Dédalus goes to the cinema for the first time at the age of six with his grandmother and sister, a passion is ignited that will shape his entire life. Soon, he devours Hitchcock classics on television, starts a film club at school, and even lies about his age at the ticket counter to see Bergman on the big screen. By his twenties, Paul has become a devoted cinephile, fascinated by Coppola and ready to watch every film that moves him over and over again – his life revolves entirely around cinema.

What does it mean to go to the movies – and why have they drawn us in for over a hundred years? Arnaud Desplechin celebrates the magic of the cinema hall, blending memories, fiction, and research into a captivating stream of images. With «Spectateurs !», he creates an ode to the cinematic experience, where documentary and autofiction flow seamlessly together – a playful, deeply personal work told from the perspective of his alter ego Paul Dédalus.