Exciting news for movie fans: France Télévisions will broadcast a feature film every evening across its channels during the curfew period.
With nearly 20 million French people now under a curfew set to last at least four weeks, many are pondering how to fill their evenings at home from 9 p.m.
This question, familiar from the spring lockdown, has an answer. In a statement on Monday, October 19, France Télévisions committed to airing a film every evening to "entertain and bring families together" as restrictions began on October 17 in Paris and eight other cities.
The initiative "reaffirms its public utility, staying close to viewers with exceptional film programming to entertain and unite families."
France Télévisions excelled in this role during the initial confinement, repurposing France 4 as a virtual classroom for schoolchildren and potentially saving the channel.
A prime-time film every night except Friday, when it airs in the second part of the evening. Viewers must switch channels to access them.
Sundays bring general-public films on France 2, Saturdays feature family fare on France 4, and Mondays offer heritage cinema on France 5. Full details coming soon.
Kickoff highlights: Sunday's Murder on the Orient Express (2017, Kenneth Branagh directing, with Johnny Depp); Monday, October 19's Singin' in the Rain (1957); and Tuesday's second Hobbit installment on France 2.
