How a Parisian community saved the historic La Clef cinema from fading to black.

Julia Webster Ayuso   Monocle31 January 2026
The reopening of La Clef, one of Paris’s most historic independent theatres, is a masterclass in how on-the-ground efforts can help save traditional media.

Since its previous owners decided to close the institution in 2018, La Clef has been a symbol of resistance in the face of a general decline in theatregoing.