15 years of faith, sharing and cinema

“In 2017, during my first visit to the festival, I was struck by the beauty of the site. And when I met dozens of movie buffs sharing their favorites, I was definitely won over!” remembers Corinne Isaac. Three years later, this mother, then an employee of the diocese of Grenoble, agreed to take the reins of the La Salette cinematographic meetings.

Surrounded by other volunteers, she launches sessions ahead of the festival in surrounding towns, in order to attract new audiences. Challenge met: the event attracts around a hundred additional festival-goers each year.

In 2024, 2,000 people took part, compared to around thirty during the first edition. “Cinema is a collective experience that creates a bond. Watching films together rather than alone at home is essential. For four days or the time of a screening, participants form a community in a friendly atmosphere,” explains the president, who has entered into a partnership with Traveling, an associative carpooling platform, in order to allow isolated people to reach La Salette.

“Everything is free, except for accommodation and meals at the sanctuary. Staying there allows us to go to services morning and evening,” confide Gabrielle, 75, and her husband Alfred, 81, retired Strasbourg teachers. “During the festival, we like to meet friends with whom we share thoughts and emotions around the 7th art.”

Diversity of exchanges

Because yes, coming to the sanctuary, perched at 1,769 m, is above all deciding to rise: “In 2019, Thierry Binisti, came to talk about his film A bottle in the sea, felt a strong emotion when he discovered the imposing building and its basilica decorated with works by Arcabas,” says Corinne, for whom this presence of cinema professionals is essential.

“After each session, we are invited to decipher the work with speakers. It teaches you to look at it from another angle,” says Alfred. And if the theme of this 15th edition is “Spirit of Sharing”, it is no coincidence: “Discovering the conception of a film and the motivations of its author, sharing our feelings, this creates moving exchanges and, sometimes even, moments of communion”,” enthuses Corinne.