After a successful inauguration with closed ticket booths, the new KIKÉ cinema club unveils its programming and its ambition to create a Japanese festival.
Marseille is opening up even more to Japanese culture with the successful launch of KIKÉ, the city’s first cinema club entirely dedicated to Japanese cinema. The inaugural session, held on April 17th at Le Chambord cinema, confirmed the enthusiasm of the local audience: the largest hall, with over 250 seats, was fully booked. The event brought together numerous cinephiles, members of the local Japanese community, and representatives from the Consulate of Japan in Marseille, marking a promising start for this new cultural rendezvous.
An immersive concept combining cinema, debate, and gastronomy
Conceived as a “passport between Marseille and Japanese culture,” KIKÉ offers a monthly meeting that goes beyond simple screenings. Each session is carefully orchestrated to provide a complete experience. The programming highlights iconic films from the Japanese repertoire, whether contemporary or from the heritage.
The presentation and animation are entrusted to an expert, Kiyomasa Kawakita, a Japanese journalist and co-founder of the renowned Parisian festival Kinotayo. His intervention, before or after the film, is followed by a discussion with the audience. These conversations help place the works in their historical, social, and cinematographic context, providing essential insights to appreciate the richness and complexity of Japanese cinema. The immersion continues with culinary animations by Kita Kitchen and chef Samuel Kawakita, inviting the spectators on a sensory journey.
Towards a Marseille festival on the horizon 2027
The ambitions of the KIKÉ team do not stop at this monthly gathering. The cinema club is actually the first step of a larger project: the creation of a true Japanese film festival in Marseille by 2027. By fostering a community of enthusiasts, forging links with cultural institutions and the Japanese community, the organizers aim to make KIKÉ a solid foundation to build a lasting event capable of shining in the cultural landscape of Marseille.
Upcoming events at Le Chambord
The program for the coming months promises exciting discoveries. On May 7, 2026, KIKÉ will screen “Shoplifters,” a masterpiece by Hirokazu Kore-eda, awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018. The film paints a delicate and poignant portrait of an atypical family that survives by petty theft, delicately questioning the nature of familial bonds beyond social conventions. More information on this work is available through the distributor’s press kit (https://le-pacte.com/france/film/une-affaire-de-famille).
On June 4, 2026, animation takes center stage with “Metropolis,” a cult film directed by Rintarō based on a screenplay by Katsuhiro Ōtomo, inspired by the legendary manga by Osamu Tezuka. This futuristic fable immerses the viewer in a dizzying megalopolis where the tense coexistence between humans and robots is on the verge of a tipping point.
Practical information
The screenings of the KIKÉ cinema club take place at Le Chambord Cinema, located in the 8th arrondissement of Marseille. To check the schedules and reserve seats, the public can visit the cinema’s official website: https://www.cinemalechambord.fr. Each event is accompanied by presentations by Kiyomasa Kawakita and culinary animations by Kita Kitchen.
