Surrounded by a motivated team (including Marie Gautreau, Dominique Marilleau, and Béatrice Bouvyer), Isabelle Carbonnel is offering the screening of seven films (eight screenings from Friday, March 27 to Sunday, March 29) and numerous activities centered around the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. “The films were chosen by our paid projectionist, David Court,” explained assistant treasurer Dominique Marilleau. To kick off the Anime and Manga festival, costume designer-cosplayer Etisthia will greet the audience before the showing of the magnificent “Princess Mononoke” by Hayao Miyazaki.
Eight different workshops
The organization of such an event required a strong commitment from volunteers since last fall. Cinématha’s small team also offers eight different workshops, ranging from Japanese calligraphy to cosplay workshops, haikus writing, and making onigiri (culinary preparation). With limited space available (and free admission), it’s advisable to reserve a spot. All activities will take place around the community center and the media library. Cinema posters, a swap market, and exhibitions of manga and cosplay costumes are also on the schedule for the weekend.
For this first edition, Cinématha hopes to have at least 150 cinema admissions and demonstrate that having a cinema in the town is more necessary than ever. “We recorded 3,191 admissions in 2025, which is a decrease, but it is in line with the national cinema attendance trends,” stated Marie Gautreau. With this inaugural festival, Cinématha aims to attract and captivate new audiences.
