From their bedroom to the movie theaters, YouTube stars are increasingly making their mark on the big screen. On May 18 and 19, YouTuber Seb La Frite premiered his documentary “Trente ans” at the cinema, after showcasing it at the Cannes Film Festival. For the occasion, we visited the Mk2 Bibliothèque cinema in Paris where the content creator was present. We asked the viewers what motivates them to pay for a movie ticket to see content that will later be available for free on YouTube.
As you can see in the video at the top of the article, their opinions are unanimous: they want to experience it differently, with others and in better conditions than at home. Beyond the popcorn and comfortable seats, there is a desire to “support the creator and their teams who are trying to make their mark in cinema,” explains one of the spectators in the long line.
Seb La Frite is not the first in France to fill the dark theaters. Before him, Michou and Ludoc had already offered a similar experience. Recently, it was Inoxtag’s “Kaizen” project, focusing on his ascent of Everest, that marked a turning point in 2024. The documentary attracted over 300,000 spectators to the cinema in just 2 days. This success is not surprising when we see how audiovisual consumption trends have changed.
Indeed, according to a study conducted by Arcom in March 2026, 77% of YouTube users watch videos longer than 30 minutes, especially on connected TVs. Faced with the decline in cinema attendance, the CNC (National Center for Cinema and Animated Image) has taken the initiative to promote these new formats by screening them on the big screen. The goal is to attract a younger audience, turning these web stars into celebrities of the Cannes Film Festival and red carpets.
