This film studio on the Georges-Méliès campus in Cannes now bears the name of an icon of French cinema.

We all knew about the love story between the city of Cannes and Jean-Paul Belmondo. A relationship that has endured and, despite the actor's passing in 2021, is far from over.

This Tuesday, the municipality inaugurated the Jean-Paul-Belmondo studio in the presence of his son Paul. While the Film Festival has been in full swing for a week, the great actor is now giving his name to the largest film set – 240m² – on the Georges-Méliès university campus. "It's an honor to have this studio named after my father here, at this university," Paul Belmondo said, moved. "It's a place linked to what he did, and it's important that young people continue to discover my father. Through these studios, all the students will go to work and study cinema. It's magnificent."

A tribute paid in the heart of this ^78th Cannes Film Festival, as Jean-Paul Belmondo received an honorary Palme d'Or for his entire career in 2011. "The Festival is the most important event in world cinema," his son emphasized. "To have this inauguration during this event is very important. I am delighted and I thank the city for this."

A popular figure, a cinema icon

A few days after the inauguration of the ^21st edition of Cannes fait le mur , dedicated this year to Alain Delon, this tribute to Jean-Paul Belmondo resonates like a nice wink. "Alain Delon and my father were inseparable when they were young, then in castings, in films and in their private lives. Now, they are inseparable after their lives. I think it's fantastic that they are both honored at Cannes, I hope one day to see them on the same poster."

For David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes, this name was a no-brainer: "Jean-Paul Belmondo embodies the spirit of French cinema: free, bold, and popular, " he declared. "These are all values ​​that we want to pass on to the students and creators trained in Cannes. By naming the largest studio on campus after this icon of French cinema, we are strengthening the bond of affection that unites Jean-Paul Belmondo with our city."

Belmondo, after Delon and Ventura

While Jean-Paul Belmondo will forever be associated with the campus, he is also part of the heart of Cannes, where a 170m² artistic façade bearing his image was unveiled in 2022 in the Gambetta district. After Lino Ventura—whose driveway leads to the university and cinema complex—and Alain Delon, it is a new giant of French cinema who is, rightfully, being honored.