About Lumière Maastricht
Lumière is the place where you can catch up with the latest international arthouse-films, lose yourself in an engrossing documentary, and finally get the chance to see that enduring film classic. We are screening up to 300 arthouse-films a year from around the world, with the programme equally divided between smaller independent films and slightly more mainstream fare. With an emphasis on film authors, indie-favourites and film festival hits, we are catering to a dedicated audience of cinephiles and casual filmgoers alike.
In our Grand Café, based in the beautifully restored, monumental power station of the Old Sphinx factories, we serve tasty food and drinks all day long, seven days a week. And when the sun is out, our water-fronted terrace is the perfect place to enjoy the weather.
History of Lumière
Lumière has a long tradition of showcasing alternative films. Lumière was founded in 1976 as the 'Stichting Filmhuis Maastricht', becoming part of a nationwide movement. At that time, under the impetus of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (then known as 'Film International'), an arthouse cinema was established in nearly every major Dutch city.
Under the leadership of Joep Schreurs, Stichting Filmhuis Maastricht acquired a hall with 60 seats above the then 'Youth Society Kombi' in the Capucijnengang. The reason for this? Dissatisfaction with the offerings of commercial cinemas and the desire to pay more attention to alternative films. The first film screened by Stichting Filmhuis Maastricht was Wildwechsel by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
From 1983 (7,000 visitors), the film house received municipal subsidies, and Jan Besselink was appointed as director. He would lead the film house for more than twenty years, developing it into a professional theatre. In 1985 (16,000 visitors), Stichting Filmhuis Maastricht moved to the location at Bogaardenstraat. It was during this period that the name Lumière was adopted, inspired by the Lumière brothers, the pioneers of cinema.
Lumière has continued to grow. In 1996 (30,000 visitors), a third hall was added, and in 2004, the capacity doubled to 336 seats, spread across six halls. Since then, visitor numbers have increased significantly: from 45,000 visitors to over 100,000 visitors per year. In September 2016, a major step was taken: the move to the new (and current) location at 't Bassin.