On Wednesday, October 21, our team visited the Health Sciences University Library (BU Santé) at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA) to speak with Caroline Lebouvier, head of cultural programming for the university libraries, and Claire Lévêque, cultural programming officer for the Moulin de la Housse library.
During the interview, they looked back in detail on the origins, logistics, and vision behind the Popcorn Festival, an event that is 100% free and open to everyone.
What is the Popcorn Festival?
The Popcorn project was created within URCA’s cultural programming department, initially driven by François Godin, Caroline Lebouvier‘s predecessor.
The core idea was to establish recurring cultural programming across the university library network. With Popcorn, the goal is to transform the library into a warm, welcoming space that fosters community and discovery.
Originally planned for November to coincide with Mois du Film Documentaire (Documentary Film Month), the event was eventually moved to March, as the autumn semester was already packed with academic events.
Initially launched across Reims’ three university libraries—BU Santé, BU Sciences (Moulin de la Housse), and BU Robert de Sorbon—the Popcorn Festival continues to expand. It has now grown to include the campuses in Troyes and Châlons-en-Champagne. While the event primarily targets URCA’s student body, it remains completely open to the general public and local residents.
How are the films chosen?
The Popcorn Festival focuses specifically on contemporary documentary cinema.
To keep the programming relevant to current social issues and the expectations of younger audiences, the team makes a point of selecting recent documentaries, mostly produced after 2020.
To build its catalog, the cultural department relies heavily on a subscription to the ARTE Distribution platform, known for its rich and varied selections. To complete the lineup, the team also partners with independent distributors such as PLT Distribution and 10.7 Distribution.
Over the years, the selection process has evolved. Rather than choosing a personal favorite and then searching for an expert to host the discussion, the team now takes the opposite approach. They first look into the research topics being explored in URCA’s various laboratories, identify passionate professors, researchers, or PhD candidates, and then select a custom-fit documentary.
Screenings and student projects
To accommodate student schedules, commute constraints, and class times, screenings are scheduled for late afternoons from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Each event follows a two-part format: a documentary screening of around 50 minutes, immediately followed by a 45-minute Q&A and debate with the guest speaker. The total length is carefully kept under two hours.
To break down the sometimes intimidating atmosphere of university libraries and offer a fun break, the screening spaces are rearranged for every session. Comfortable seating is set up, accompanied by drinks, treats, and, of course, popcorn.
The festival also serves as a hands-on learning environment for students. During the last edition, our group was directly involved in organizing a screening focused on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), featuring four expert guest speakers. This collaborative project paired the film screening with a panel discussion, highlighting the festival’s ability to serve as a meaningful platform for dialogue.
Growing turnout and open access
Managing logistics around student calendars, inter-campus transport, and last-minute changes means building an audience requires constant adaptation.
Caroline Lebouvier shares a philosophical thought from Élodie Hemmer (a sports faculty instructor at SUAPS) to sum up these unpredictable factors:
“You have your boat, your gear, your crew, you’ve prepped everything… and then there’s the wind. Except you don’t control the wind.”
Despite these challenges, interest in the festival has grown steadily with each edition. Increasing attendance, returning faculty members, and enthusiastic feedback from satisfaction surveys confirm the success of the format.
The organizers remind everyone that all Popcorn Festival screenings are completely free, open to all, and require no advance registration.