PosTED ON 22.10.2022

Lyon-based GL Events is a long-standing partner of the Lumière Film Festival. Sylvain Douce, General Manager of the Palais des Congrès explains this commitment.

Can you explain your contribution to the Lumière Film Festival?
GL events is involved in all aspects of the event industry. In fact, we are involved on several fronts for the festival. In particular, with the GL events Live teams, we are involved in setting up the Lumière Village structures, with our premium reception agency, Profil Lyon, in welcoming the public to the various events of the Lumière Film Festival and, finally, we host the Lumière Award Ceremony at the Amphitheatre of the Lyon Convention Centre.

What is the significance of the renewed partnership between GL events and the Lumière Film Festival?
GL events has been a partner of the Lumière Film Festival since its inception. In 2009, during the first edition of the Lumière Film Festival, Clint Eastwood was awarded the Lumière Award at the Amphitheatre of the Lyon Convention Centre. The Lumière Film Festival contributes to making our city and our metropolitan area shine on an international scale. The GL events group's tasks, notably through the management of the Lyon Convention Centre, La Sucrière and Eurexpo Lyon, include contributing to the economic and social dynamics of the region. It is only natural for us to support an event that contributes to the development of our region, our institutions, our history and our culture.

Both the film and event industries have suffered from the Covid crisis. How do you see the future?
We were among the most affected sectors. But if anything, this crisis has highlighted the fact that we cannot live without meeting, without sharing, and this goes far beyond a computer screen. Of course, we have had to and must show adaptability and we must reinvent ourselves every day, but we know today that beyond the desire to go to the cinema, to participate in a festival or an event, there is a real need. This is the reason why I believe in the future of our activities.

On a personal note, what is your favourite memory of the Lumière Film Festival?
 would like to share two of them with you. One is in reference to your previous question. The 2020 edition of the festival was incredible. Of course, we were masked, but what a joy it was to meet again after months without an event! I experienced it as a party. And I was particularly impressed by the resilience and energy displayed by Thierry Frémaux and all the festival teams to hold this edition.  But I'll finish with the first one... I arrived in Lyon and took over the management of the Convention Centre in 2018. My first memory of the festival in the Amphitheatre is the Lumière Award Ceremony for laureate Jane Fonda. What energy and passion! The Lumière Award Ceremony is really a special event in the Amphitheatre, which all the teams look forward to. And that day, I understood why!

Interview by A. D.