The Cinémathèque Française, one of Paris’s most respected film institutions, has temporarily closed its cinema halls following confirmed reports of a bedbug infestation. The decision, announced on November 28, 2025, comes after multiple visitors reported seeing bedbugs after attending screenings earlier in the month.
The issue gained public attention after attendees of a masterclass event featuring American actress Sigourney Weaver complained of bites and sightings of bedbugs on seats and clothing. The institution responded by launching a fullscale sanitation operation covering all four of its screening rooms.
Officials said every seat in the building will be dismantled and treated individually with dry steam at temperatures reaching 180°C. Carpets and other fabric surfaces are also undergoing deep cleaning and decontamination. Sniffer dogs will be brought in to verify the absence of pests before the halls reopen.
The outbreak is part of a longer struggle Paris has faced with bedbugs in public spaces. The city experienced a resurgence in 2023, with reports spanning hotels, trains, buses, and multiple cinemas. Experts attribute the widespread problem to increased travel, changes in pest-control practices, and growing insecticide resistance.
Health authorities note that while bedbugs do not transmit diseases, their bites can cause discomfort, allergic reactions, and psychological distress. For many filmgoers, the incidents have raised concerns about hygiene in public venues and prompted calls for stricter inspection standards.
Local pest-control professionals say cinemas present ideal hiding conditions for bedbugs due to their upholstered seats, dark environment, and high visitor turnover. Once established, infestations can be difficult and costly to eliminate often requiring repeated mechanical treatments rather than chemical solutions.
The temporary shutdown has disrupted scheduled screenings and events, but the Cinémathèque says the closure is necessary to ensure patron safety. Officials have not given a reopening date, stating only that operations will resume once the premises “meet full sanitary assurance.”
As the city works to contain recurring outbreaks, public health experts emphasize the need for coordinated monitoring across public transport, entertainment venues, and hospitality establishments. They warn that without consistent policy and preventive measures, Paris could continue to face periodic waves of infestations.
As global travel resumes and people crowd public spaces again, the challenge of controlling pests like bedbugs resurfaces. For cinema lovers, travelers, or anyone frequenting dense public spaces, vigilance matters. For institutions, thoroughness in cleaning and openness with the public can restore trust. And for cities like Paris, dealing with bedbugs isn’t just about comfort it’s about public health, safety, and preserving cultural spaces.
For now, the bedbug issue has once again put the city’s public space hygiene under scrutiny and placed one of its premier cultural institutions at the center of an unsettling problem.
