Sawt Falasteen - Bedbugs force closure of prestigious Paris cinema

The Cinematheque, an internationally renowned film archive and cinema, said in a statement it would close its four screening halls for a month from Friday.

The temporary closure, which comes after a series of reported bedbug sightings, should guarantee viewers "a perfectly safe and comfortable environment", it said.

In early November, several audience members complained to French reporters about being bitten by bedbugs following a master class with Oscar-nominated star Weaver, known for roles in films such as "Alien".

One person told French daily newspaper Le Parisien that bedbugs had been seen crawling around "the seats and clothes".

At the Cinematheque, located in eastern Paris, three screening halls are open to the public while the fourth is used for educational activities.

"All the seats will be dismantled and then individually treated with dry steam at 180C several times, before being systematically checked by dogs", the institution said. Carpets will receive the "same level" of treatment.

Other areas of the building will remain open, including a current exhibition about US actor and filmmaker Orson Welles.

In 2023, the government said it was launching a concerted effort to fight bedbugs, which appeared in numbers on public transport, in cinemas and in hospitals as France prepared to host the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In 2024, the government said that disinformation spread by Russia-linked social media accounts had amplified the public's panic in autumn 2023.

Bedbugs get their name from their habit of nesting in mattresses, although they can also hide in clothes and in luggage.

Bedbug bites leave red areas, blisters or large rashes on the skin, and can cause intense itching or allergic reactions.

They also often cause psychological distress, sleeping issues, anxiety and depression.

R.Shaban--SF-PST