Only 5 of students found themselves without a solutionBut the operator is not very inclined to do sordquoThat seems to be a foregone conclusionBrown will provide that same leadership for Team USAThe Atlanta JournalConstitution contributed to this articleThat's why we love him that's why we hate himWith so many good 34 Ends in this years draftYou may ask why this is thematchup that shouldn't beUK went 18 years without a National Championship The 'Dawgs record thus far sits at 99 14 SECIts trajectory stands in the shadow of the giant Gaumont, Pathe and UGC. Ten years ago, Philippe Dejust was the modest neighbourhood room operator, Blois (Loir-et-Cher). With its 12 cinemas in province and his "business model" atypical, combining public films and most demanding works, the founder of Cape Town's cinema, now rivals the great names of the profession. The evidence that cultural desertification is not inevitable. And encouraging a sign of vitality in the hexagonal landscape, while tomorrow begins the feast of cinema. If it continues to grow, this movie buff of forty-eight years will pass in the next five years the seventh French fourth of the operators, behind national circuits UGC, EuroPalaces (Pathé, Gaumont) and RMC (Circuit Georges Raymond). Since the opening of 3 new complexes profile by 2014. Not bad for a newcomer...
Nothing predestined yet this Economist training to such a course. Nothing, except his passion: "I am a man of art... and money," smiles this great amateur of the westerns of John Ford and features dramas of Almodovar. In 2000, the pressed quadra loose his lucrative businesses draw photo for the film the Lobis, at Blois, held by her in-laws. "Nine years later, his company has 125 employees, has a turnover of EUR 20 million, and taught Cape ' Ciné has spread throughout the territory (becoming" Cap' cinema ') ": Agen, Beaune, Carcassonne, Montauban, Périgueux, Saint-Quentin, Fribourg (Switzerland) and fun (Yvelines) are now part of his circuit.
Approach to "low cost".
His secret Philippe Dejust invests here where competitors dropped flag. He puts his flag in cities averages and other suburban areas, where the DVD player and home cinema are part of the basic household equipment. The strategy is charged. And should continue to be: via Fund Heritage and creation, the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations has just to enter the capital of the company, and will help it expand its network, which already attracts 2.3 million viewers per year.
The success of Cape ' cinema, it is also a "low cost" approach, tested from the outset. When it launches its first complex, at Blois, in 2000, "without the help of the banks, who was not believed", Philippe Dejust has tried to reduce the cost of construction by Frédéric Namur, the architect who had just completed for Marin Karmitz MK2 Quai de Seine, Paris. "Based on his skills, I have avoided costly studies." "He entered the capital", tells Dejust, who spent about EUR 5 million on the first draft, nearly two times less than the usual cost of this type all. The Castle operator then sought to replicate its model.
At Blois, his laboratory, Cape ' Cine focus 9 rooms and 1.900 armchairs in 3.800 m2. Is no lobby, no frills, not even of false ceilings. "Useless, current materials are sufficient for acoustic and thermal insulation", provides. The decoration is sober. Concrete and aluminum joinery. "However, we aggressively on the comfort of seats, or the quality of the image, since it installs systematically digital", says the CEO, who has mobilized EUR 6 million to replace its projectors.
"Deal" with the mayors
Additional revenues are made by two franchised restaurants. Without compter, of course, the sale of candy. If the interior space is limited, outside on the other hand leaves much to parking spaces. With free parking of 600 places, restaurants are assured of a clientele larger than that of the theatres.
After the opening of Blois, the operator began a tour of his colleagues to propose turnkey concept. It is a flop. He then decided to create only these new cinemas. Or rather in trio. Architect Frédéric Namur ensures the design. A businessman, Rémi Becquet, patron of the Chambord Prestige caterer, injects hundreds of thousands of euros to build equity. "The principle is to redeem the walls of one or two cinemas in the heart of a pool of life of 50,000 to 60,000 people to benefit from a monopoly at the opening of the multiplex a few months after". "Downtown cinema retains arthouse programming and the commercial multiplex naturally increases the overall number of spectators", explains the pattern of Cap' cinema. At Blois, the Lobis attracted 200,000 spectators annually. In 2008, the two cinemas attracted to 470.000. In the same spirit, are family holidays in Languedoc who decide to buy the cinemas of the centre of Carcassonne, which one is classified a historical monument. The Odeum (closed since) and the Colosseum in the anyway, he then set up a multiplex on the outskirts.
The basic idea is always the same: mayors are offered renovation of downtown cinemas, sentenced to more or less long term. In return, local authorities are committed to invest, either through aid on land or building access and car parking. It is Xavier Darcos was the first accept this bet "win-win". The Mayor of Périgueux and new Minister of labour went to emulate.
Support of the CNC
As a certain Xavier Bertrand, in Saint-Quentin. "I have benefited from any network the UMP to ensure my development. "But people talk, know, be copied", justified Philippe Dejust. This strategy is to restore the look to a moribund film turning in cultural and commercial centre found its limits in Agen. To the 2008 municipal mayor outgoing (PS), Alain Veyret, supported a Cap project ' film. EUR 12 million had even been mobilized. But his opponent, Jean Dionis du stay (new Centre), took over the case and made one of his electoral battle. By becoming mayor, he buried it. "The departmental commission of commercial equipment, which had accepted this settlement before the voting, postponed it after", said Philippe Dejust, who nonetheless bought Agen centre cinema, without being able to add the expected multiplex. For the moment.
If political hazard sometimes complicates the situation, Philippe Dejust can however count on the support of the national Centre for cinematography (CNC). The latter is all happy to find one now operator of most difficult films. At Blois, these works meet an audience waiting. "They are also more entries in the rooms of the city centre than on the periphery," notes Philippe Dejust, who is Assistant services of two programmers to feed this diffusion across institutions. Simple alibi cultural for public subsidies Bad languages claim. "Even with funding of Commons, of the State or of Europe, our arthouse cinemas are just at the balance, defending the founder of Cape ' cinema.". The label Europa, it is 5,000 to 10,000 euros per year. Almost nothing. But this sesame we opened the doors of the distributors in Europe. We can then create events such as Director or such European actor Blois or Montauban. "Our theatres become real places of cultural life," he continued.
Modular spaces
Finally, because that of cinema chairs do show that "15 fill rate", Cape ' cinema began to make space. The cinemas of Blois and Périgueux broadcast the football World Cup, operas and plays. Businesses rented the rooms for presentations. Blois, a jazz programming will complement poster available from September. The multiplex of Beaune is, he managed to attract the police film Festival, formerly hosted at Cognac. "I look to reserve 30 of the time of dissemination outside cinema that these places revert poles of attractiveness, says Philippe Dejust, imagine that from time to time transform its rooms into spaces of interactive games." The challenge is to size. The average age of the audience is aging. Teens know best the path of the halls of video games than the cinemas.
For Cap' cinema, the future therefore through a greater modularity of the facilities. It is also, no doubt, an extension of the network in previously unknown lands... The short term, Philippe Dejust society indeed plans to locate gate of LILACS, in the East of Paris. Although far from its usual fall points. A sector where no cinema moved. Too risky. But it scares not the Castle contractor, who will open 7 rooms in 2011, with the blessing of local elected officials. The investment amounts to EUR 8.5 million. Objective: "300,000 to 400,000 entries essentially throwing test and art film." Beautiful challenge in perspective.
