Festival Côté court de Pantin 2027 – France

What to expect in 2027

Festival Côté court de Pantin returns to Ciné 104 in Pantin for its 36th edition, continuing its long-running focus on short-form cinema, contemporary creation, emerging filmmakers and experimental moving-image practices. The festival is organised by the Côté court association and has made the Ciné 104 its principal home, bringing together audiences, filmmakers, actors, producers, artists, students and cinema professionals. The confirmed 2027 edition is already listed by Seine-Saint-Denis tourism and the festival’s film-submission platform.

The festival’s identity extends beyond conventional short-film screenings. Its established programme combines fiction, documentary, experimental cinema, art video, animation, music-related works and longer short-form or hybrid productions. The competition structure also provides different ways to discover filmmakers, from established artists returning to the festival to emerging directors presenting early work.

The 2027 edition is expected to maintain the festival’s emphasis on:

• Contemporary short films from French and Francophone filmmakers
• Fiction competition showcasing new narrative cinema
• Essay and art video exploring experimental and artistic forms
• Prospective Cinema for longer and hybrid works
• Grand Angle offering a broader panorama of contemporary short-form creation
• Documentary cinema and non-fiction approaches
• Music and moving-image projects, including clips and audiovisual performances
• Professional meetings bringing filmmakers and industry professionals together
• Public discussions and encounters around the selected works
• Young audience activities and educational cinema projects

Côté court also has a strong commitment to transmission and filmmaking education. Its wider activities include school programmes, filmmaking workshops, professional development and initiatives designed to introduce younger audiences to the creative process behind cinema.

Festival dates

Festival dates: June 9–19, 2027

The 36th edition is confirmed for Ciné 104 in Pantin. The official FilmFest submission platform lists the edition as running from June 9 to June 19, while Seine-Saint-Denis tourism independently confirms the same festival period and venue.

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Venues & festival locations

Ciné 104
104 Avenue Jean Lolive
93500 Pantin, France

Ciné 104 is the main festival venue and has been closely associated with Côté court since the festival’s beginnings. The cinema contains three screening rooms with different capacities, allowing the festival to accommodate both major competition programmes and smaller, more specialised sessions. The venue is also equipped for visitors with reduced mobility.

The cinema’s position in Pantin makes it practical for visitors staying in northeastern Paris as well as those travelling from central Paris. The surrounding area provides access to public transport, cycling facilities and local cafés and restaurants.

The festival has also historically used associated cultural venues and partner locations for special projects, exhibitions and related activities. However, the principal confirmed 2027 festival location is Ciné 104, and the full list of any additional 2027 partner venues should be checked once the official programme is released.

Full programme

The complete 2027 programme has not yet been published. The festival’s established programme framework provides a useful indication of the sections audiences can expect.

The main competitive strands include Fiction, Essay / Art Video and Prospective Cinema. The festival also uses broader selections such as Grand Angle, which can bring together fiction, documentary, animation, clips and other forms.

The Fiction competition focuses on contemporary narrative filmmaking and gives visibility to both emerging filmmakers and directors with previous connections to the festival. The Essay / Art Video competition is more experimental, allowing artists to explore cinema outside conventional narrative structures.

Prospective Cinema is designed for longer short-form works and hybrid approaches, creating space between conventional short films and longer cinematic forms. The festival’s published selection information describes this section as a place for works crossing documentary, essay, fiction and other cinematic territories.

The wider programme can also include:

• Documentary programmes
• Grand Angle selections
• Music videos and visual music
• Special screenings
• Artist or filmmaker focuses
• Ciné-concerts
• Performances
• Pitch sessions
• Professional meetings
• Round tables and discussions
• Educational activities
• Closing events and award presentations

The final programme should be consulted through the official Côté court website once the 2027 schedule is released.

Featured films & premieres

The 2027 film selection has not yet been fully announced. The official FilmFest platform confirms that the edition is structured around several categories and that submitted films can be considered for different sections depending on their characteristics.

Côté court’s selection policy gives particular attention to French and Francophone short-form production. The festival accepts fiction, documentary, experimental, art video, animation and other forms, with some films potentially moving between different programme sections during the selection process.

Audiences can therefore expect a mixture of:

• New French fiction
• Documentary filmmaking
• Experimental and essay films
• Artist films and video art
• Animation
• Music videos
• Hybrid cinematic works
• Longer short-form productions

Premieres and special presentations depend on the individual films selected and their availability. No definitive list of 2027 featured films or premieres has been officially published yet, so individual titles should not be treated as confirmed until they appear in the festival’s official selection.

Directors, actors & guests

The 2027 guest list has not yet been announced in full. Côté court traditionally creates opportunities for audiences to meet filmmakers and other members of film teams through screenings, discussions, professional events and special programmes.

The festival’s previous editions have welcomed directors, actors, producers, composers, artists and other cinema professionals. Its programme structure encourages direct interaction between creators and audiences rather than limiting the event to screenings alone.

The festival’s current organisational information identifies Sébastien de Fonseca as artistic director, with Lucile Chamblay and Sébastien de Fonseca responsible for programming and coordination, and Émilie Desruelle and Delphine Verron responsible for young-audience programming.

Additional filmmakers, actors, jury members and special guests for the 2027 edition should be confirmed through the official festival programme.

Screening schedule

The detailed screening schedule for 2027 has not yet been released. Once available, it is expected to organise films into individual programme blocks rather than presenting every title as a separate feature-length event.

A typical Côté court visit can involve several short films in one programme, followed by discussions, filmmaker encounters or special activities. This format allows visitors to see multiple directors and styles during a single cinema visit.

The programme is likely to include:

• Competition screening blocks
• Special screenings
• Grand Angle programmes
• Prospective Cinema sessions
• Essay and art video programmes
• Documentary selections
• Music and clip programmes
• Young audience screenings
• Professional sessions
• Pitch and discussion events

Because short-film schedules can contain several works in one session, visitors should check the official programme carefully for programme titles, screening times, running order, language information and any age guidance.

Ticket types & accreditation

The 2027 ticket prices have not yet been announced. The latest published festival information gives a useful reference for planning.

Based on the latest published rates, visitors can use the following approximate USD figures:

• Single festival screening: approximately $5.68
• Reduced single screening: approximately $3.97
• Festival Pass: approximately $22.71
• Côté court membership: approximately $34.07

These figures are converted from the latest published rates using the ECB reference exchange rate and should be treated as previous-edition reference prices rather than confirmed 2027 prices. The festival’s own website currently confirms that membership provides an unlimited festival pass together with reduced rates for selected activities and invitations throughout the year.

The festival’s published ticket conditions indicate that passes and accreditations can provide access to dedicated pass or accreditation rates. Passes and accreditation are personal and non-transferable, and electronic ticketing is used for online purchases.

Industry & professional access

Professional activity is an important part of Côté court. The festival does not function only as a public screening event; it also creates opportunities for filmmakers, producers, technicians, programmers, organisations and other cinema professionals to meet.

Previous professional programming has included:

• Industry round tables
• Professional discussions
• Pitch sessions
• Filmmaker meetings
• Production and distribution discussions
• Creative workshops
• Professional networking
• Emerging-talent initiatives

The Pitch is particularly relevant for filmmakers developing new projects. The festival’s established format gives selected authors an opportunity to present a short-film project publicly before a professional jury and audience.

The festival also operates development initiatives such as L’Atelier 93, which supports emerging self-taught filmmakers through longer-term professional guidance, workshops and access to cinema networks.

Professional accreditation details for the 2027 edition should be checked directly with Côté court once applications and conditions are published.

Red carpet & special events

Côté court is centred on short films rather than a conventional red-carpet format, but special events form an important part of the festival atmosphere.

Opening and closing events can bring filmmakers, guests and audiences together, while the programme may also include:

• Opening ceremonies
• Closing celebrations
• Award presentations
• Ciné-concerts
• Live performances
• Music-related screenings
• Filmmaker conversations
• Pitch evenings
• Special thematic programmes
• Public discussions
• Professional gatherings

The festival has also developed projects connecting cinema with music and live performance. A confirmed educational ciné-concert project associated with the upcoming edition involves a short film created through a school filmmaking workshop and accompanied by live music.

The exact special-event programme will be announced with the full festival schedule.

Festival rules

Visitors should follow the conditions stated on their tickets, passes and accreditation documents. The festival’s published ticket conditions specify that electronic tickets must be valid and that copied, duplicated or reproduced tickets are not accepted. Tickets are also generally non-refundable and non-transferable under the published conditions.

Passes and accreditation are personal and cannot be transferred to another person. Visitors should therefore carry any identification or supporting documentation required for a reduced rate or professional accreditation.

Because screening capacity can vary between the cinema’s rooms, visitors should arrive with enough time to complete entry procedures and should follow instructions from festival staff.

Any specific rules concerning photography, recording, age restrictions, late admission, accessibility arrangements or special screenings should be checked against the official regulations and programme information for the 2027 edition.

How to get there

Côté court takes place at Ciné 104, located at 104 Avenue Jean Lolive in Pantin. The festival’s official venue information identifies the cinema as the main festival location.

For visitors coming from Paris, Pantin is directly connected to the Paris public transport network. The cinema is located close to Église de Pantin, making the festival accessible without a car.

Visitors arriving from outside the Paris area can travel into the capital by train or air and then continue toward Pantin using the metro and local public transport network.

Public transport & parking

Metro: Line 5, Église de Pantin station.

Bus: Routes 249, 179 and 61 are listed by the festival as serving the cinema area.

Cycling: A Vélib’ station is located in front of the cinema, according to the festival’s official venue information.

For visitors driving, parking availability should be checked before travelling because the festival does not publish a dedicated official festival car park on its main venue information page. Public transport is therefore a practical option for reaching Ciné 104.

Accommodation areas

Visitors travelling from outside the Paris region can consider staying in Pantin or nearby northeastern Paris. Pantin provides the most direct access to Ciné 104, while nearby areas of Paris can offer a wider selection of hotels and other accommodation.

Useful areas to consider include:

• Pantin, for the shortest journey to the festival venue
• La Villette, with convenient connections toward Pantin
• 19th arrondissement, particularly around the Canal de l’Ourcq
• 20th arrondissement, for access to eastern Paris
• Central Paris, for visitors combining the festival with wider sightseeing

Choosing accommodation close to a Line 5 station can make repeated journeys to the festival more convenient.

Food & dining

Ciné 104 has a terrace area that has been used by the festival for refreshments and informal social activity. The festival’s venue information also identifies a refreshment bar associated with festival activity.

The surrounding Pantin area provides additional options for cafés, restaurants and casual meals. Visitors attending several screenings in one day can use the area around Avenue Jean Lolive and nearby streets for food between programmes.

Côté court’s atmosphere also places importance on informal encounters, so refreshments and social areas around the cinema can be useful for continuing conversations after screenings.

Accessibility

Ciné 104 is officially described by Côté court as accessible to people with reduced mobility. The cinema has three screening rooms, and the venue information identifies accessibility arrangements within the building.

The City of Pantin also provides detailed information about accessible seating in the cinema’s screening rooms.

Visitors with specific accessibility requirements should contact Ciné 104 or Côté court before attending so that the current arrangements for seating, access, assistance and individual screenings can be confirmed.

Best screenings to attend

For first-time visitors, the competition programmes are a natural introduction to the festival because they provide a concentrated view of contemporary short-film creation.

Fiction competition: Suitable for visitors primarily interested in narrative filmmaking, emerging directors, actors and contemporary storytelling.

Essay / Art Video: A strong choice for audiences interested in experimental cinema, visual art and unconventional approaches to moving images.

Prospective Cinema: Worth considering for visitors who enjoy longer short-form works and films that cross traditional boundaries between fiction, documentary and experimental cinema.

Grand Angle: Useful for audiences seeking variety, as this broader selection can combine fiction, documentary, animation, clips and other forms.

Pitch sessions: Particularly relevant for filmmakers, producers, students and visitors interested in discovering projects before they become completed films.

Special events: Ciné-concerts, performances, discussions and filmmaker encounters provide an opportunity to experience the festival beyond conventional screenings.

Because the final 2027 programme has not yet been released, visitors should use the official schedule to select individual films and events once the programme becomes available.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous edition presented three principal competitive strands: Fiction, Essay / Art Video and Prospective Cinema, alongside broader programmes including Grand Angle and professional events. The official selection demonstrated the range of formats represented at Côté court, from conventional fiction to experimental, documentary and hybrid works.

The Fiction competition awarded its Grand Prix André S. Labarthe to 486 by Brieuc Schieb. Because of (U) by Tohé Commaret received the Special Jury Prize, while Faux Bijoux by Jessy Moussallem received both the Public Prize and Youth Prize.

Other recognised works included L’Mina by Randa Maroufi in the Essay / Art Video competition and Avis de passage by Ferdinand Ledoux in Prospective Cinema. The festival also presented awards through student juries, press juries, youth juries and other dedicated groups.

The programme also featured professional meetings, pitch activities, educational initiatives, special screenings and artistic events, demonstrating the festival’s broader role in supporting film culture and emerging creators.

Official tickets & accreditation

The official festival website is the primary source for the 2027 programme, ticket sales, passes, accreditation information, professional access and event updates.

Official Côté court website (https://www.cotecourt.org/)

Côté court’s organisation is based at 6 Rue Jules Auffret, 93500 Pantin. The official contact details list +33 1 48 10 30 51 and contact@cotecourt.org.

Visitors should rely on the official festival ticketing system for final 2027 prices because the published reference prices are subject to change. Professional visitors should also use the festival’s professional and press information when applying for accreditation.