The mayors of the Minervois au Caroux Community of Communes met on September 17, 2026, in Saint-Pons de Thomières to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis of the Cinéma Star. The objective is to reflect on possible scenarios for the future of this cultural facility, including a direct management takeover, a public service delegation, or its evolution into an expanded cultural facility.
The Cinéma Star, a single screen with 155 seats classified as Art and Essay, is a facility of intercommunal interest. Managed by an individual operator until December 2024, its operation was maintained by a transitional contract extended until July 2026, the date of its closure. The facility is located in the same building as the Tourist Office.
Patrick Cabrol, President of the Community of Communes, emphasized the importance of choosing the right management model for this heritage facility, learning from past difficulties.
A study conducted between 2023 and 2024, funded by the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion as part of the Petites Villes de Demain program, analyzed the cinema's operations. A survey of residents, collecting 254 responses in late 2023, revealed a real attachment to the facility but also specific expectations: a more mainstream programming, adapted schedules, enhanced communication, and a more accessible pricing policy. The cinema was also imagined as a venue open to other forms of live performance and image education.
The transitional operation between February 2025 and January 2026 welcomed 5,340 spectators, resulting in a deficit of 18,734 euros, offset by a balancing subsidy of 20,000 euros from the Community of Communes. Additionally, a test of a mobile cinema during the summer of 2025 gathered 287 spectators across 7 towns.
Two management models are currently being studied: a public service concession or a direct management takeover by the Community of Communes. The discussion also focuses on transforming the Cinéma Star into a true multidisciplinary cultural center, capable of hosting cinema, live performance, and artistic workshops, while strengthening the mobile cinema's reach across all 36 communes in the territory.
Béatrice Falcou, vice-president in charge of culture, highlighted that this work is an opportunity to consider a more ambitious project than simply restarting the cinema, aiming to evolve the venue into a multidisciplinary cultural center.
The project is being managed by Angélique Cocordano, cinema project manager. A deliberation by the community council on the chosen management model is expected in November 2026.
Delphine Gazel, councilor delegate for cultural and tourism development, expressed her commitment to ensuring the facility remains vibrant for residents and attractive to visitors.
