cinematheque

French cin·é·ma·thèque

[sin-uh-muh-tek]

noun

1. a movie theater, often part of a university or private archive, showing experimental or historically important films.

cinematheque

/ ˌsɪnɪməˈtɛk /

noun

1. a small intimate cinema

Word History and Origins

Origin of cinematheque¹

First recorded in 1965–70; from French cinémathèque “film archive,” equivalent to cinéma- prefixal use of cinéma “films” + -thèque “things collected,” as in bibliothèque “library,” discothèque “collection of phonograph records”; cinema, theca

Word History and Origins

Origin of cinematheque¹

C20: from French cinémathèque film library, from _cinema + ( biblio ) thèque library

Example Sentences

The film was released in 1988, but it has resurfaced in the last few years, attracting sold-out crowds at the American Cinematheque and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

From Los Angeles Times

The show, which premiered at la Cinematheque francaise in Paris in March, launches on 21 November.

From BBC

The American Cinematheque has late-night movies on Sundays, which are great.

From Los Angeles Times

When the French Cinémathèque tried to show Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1972 film “Last Tango in Paris” last December as part of a Marlon Brando retrospective, the organizers eventually canceled the screening after vociferous protest from women’s rights groups.

From Los Angeles Times

And then sometimes I would travel to either London or Paris for a final mix day or 70-millimeter test, which were done at the Cinémathèque Française.

From Los Angeles Times