L’Éclat du Cinéma: from The Full Monty to a new festival in the P-O
You may not recognise John de Borman’s name, but you’ll probably recognise some of his films. The cinematographer’s credits include The Full Monty, Saving Grace, Serendipity and An Education, for which he won a cinematography award at Sundance in 2009.
Now he hopes to bring the films, friendships and experience of a long cinema career to his local village of Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines, with a new project: L’Éclat du Cinéma.
The ambition? An annual open-air film festival bringing international cinema and visiting filmmakers to the Pyrénées-Orientales. Think screenings beneath the stars, conversations with the people behind the films and the chance to discover something beyond your usual watchlist.
A familiar village, a fresh idea
After 45 years in the film industry and more than 40 feature films, John has built relationships with filmmakers, actors and fellow cinematographers around the world. He now wants to draw on those connections to create something here.
“We are starting small, in my local village of Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines, but the ambition is much greater,” he explains.
There is already some local enthusiasm to build on. According to the organisers, a film evening John held last summer attracted around 200 people with virtually no promotion. That encouraging response helped demonstrate an appetite for this kind of event in the area.
His vision extends beyond one village, with the possibility of screenings in some of the region’s spectacular locations.
Meeting the people behind the films
As a cinematographer, John works with directors to shape how a story looks on screen, through lighting, framing and camera movement. It’s a career that offers plenty of stories of its own, and sharing that kind of experience is central to his festival plans.
He hopes visiting filmmakers will introduce their work and speak directly with audiences. He would also like to establish masterclasses, drawing on his experience of running similar events in Britain, including during his time as President of the British Society of Cinematographers. He is also a member of the French Association of Cinematographers.
John says that Ken Loach and Dustin Hoffman have expressed a willingness to participate in future editions. There are no confirmed appearances or dates to announce, but their interest gives a sense of the ambition behind the project.
First, though, comes the work of building local support.
The first step in Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines
An invitation-only launch on 23 October 2026 at The Shed will bring together guests, local businesses and potential sponsors to hear more about the festival and how they might support it.
The evening will feature a welcome drink and a screening of Billy Wilder’s much-loved comedy Some Like It Hot, starring Marilyn Monroe, followed by a brief presentation of the plans.
It will also coincide with an exhibition celebrating Monroe through the photographs of legendary Magnum photographer Eve Arnold. The organisers say a member of Arnold’s family will attend, with limited-edition photographs available to buy. The exhibition will remain on view for a month.
The October evening is a private launch, rather than a public festival screening. Details of future festival events are still to come.
Cinema with local roots
Everyone currently helping John launch L’Éclat du Cinéma is working on a voluntary basis. The hope is that support from businesses, sponsors and film enthusiasts will allow it to grow into an annual event that brings something new to the region.
For those of us living here, the appeal is easy to understand: the opportunity to enjoy international films close to home, discover the stories behind them and perhaps meet the people who made them.
John sums up his approach simply:
“Cinema has nothing to do with NATION, but everything to do with IMAGINATION.”
For news as the project develops, follow L’Éclat du Cinéma on Instagram.
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