Wire flash
OtherCinemas in Rome and Paris offer free cooling to vulnerable groups during heatwaves
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
In response to extreme summer heat, cinemas in Rome and Paris are providing free admission to vulnerable groups during the hottest hours of the day. In Paris, three cinemas in the 10th arrondissement—Louxor, L'Archipel, and Brady—have formed 'Ciné-Clim,' offering free entry between 1 PM and 4 PM for people particularly susceptible to heat. Rome's Cinema Troisi, operated by the Fondazione Piccolo America, has adopted a similar model with its 'Allerta Fresco' (Cold Alert) program, granting free access to people under 25 or over 65, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. The foundation emerged from a grassroots occupation to save a historic cinema and is known for free open-air screenings in public squares, often supported by celebrities like Sean Penn and Robert De Niro. The article notes that such civil society initiatives may help explain the box office success of Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' which offers a three-hour escape from the heat. The report also contextualizes the initiatives amid rising heat-related deaths and political calls for better heat protection in Germany.
Source report
In Rome and Paris, cinemas are responding to the heat: Particularly vulnerable people get free admission during the hottest hours of the day.
Publication date: July 24, 2026 — 3:06 PM
Refreshingly cool, a scene from the film Odysseus. Photo: LMK/imago
By Tim Caspar Boehme
In Germany, there is little sign of summer temperatures these days. In other parts of Europe, however, it is burning — or simply unbearably hot. Meanwhile, reports of heat-related deaths are becoming more frequent even in this country, and parties like the Greens are urging the government to do more for heat protection.
New approaches to heat protection are already emerging in the culture sector in some southern European countries.
Ciné-Clim in Paris
In Paris, three cinemas in the 10th arrondissement have joined forces to form "Ciné-Clim." The Louxor, L'Archipel, and Brady offer free admission between 1 PM and 4 PM for people particularly vulnerable to the heat.
Rome Follows Suit
Due to its great success, Rome's Cinema Troisi has now taken this initiative as a model and also offers free access to vulnerable groups during the hottest hours of the day. People under 25 or over 65, pregnant women, and people with disabilities can cool off in the cinema's air conditioning while watching films.
Commitment to Civil Society
"Allerta Fresco," or Cold Alert, is the name of the cinema's offering, which is operated by the Fondazione Piccolo America. The foundation emerged from the occupation of the vacant Cinema America, which was saved from demolition in this way.
In city life, the "ragazzi del Cinema America" have been active for years through their open-air cinema programs, which they offer for free on public squares in Rome during the summer. Stars like Sean Penn or, this year, Robert De Niro repeatedly support the project with appearances at film screenings.
The civil society commitment regarding heat therefore fits perfectly with the Fondazione Piccolo America. It may not be much, but it can still help. Perhaps this also explains the great box office success of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey". After all, you can stay cool for a full three hours with it.
This article is published by taz, which is 100% owned by its readers and freely accessible without a paywall. To support independent journalism, readers can become part of the community at taz zahl ich.
Feedback
Comment | Report an error
Related Articles
- Venice Art Biennale: EU funding officially cut — First it was a threat, now it's official: EU funding for the Venice Art Biennale has been discontinued. The reason is Russia's participation.
- Literary Prize for Grassroots Poetry: The Poetry of the Delivery Driver — Chinese food deliveryman Wang Jibing receives his Ge...
Source
taz.de - taz.deWestern
Part of this Story
Cinemas in Rome and Paris Offer Free Cooling to Vulnerable People During Heatwaves