Tribute
Jean-Jacques Schpoliansky (1943 - 2024)
It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Jean-Jacques Schpoliansky, at the age of 80. He was known as the former exhibitor of the cinema Le Balzac, a longtime companion of Europa Cinemas and a prominent figure in French and European cinema exhibition.
The Balzac was founded in 1935 by Jean-Jacques' grandfather. He took over its management upon his father's death in 1973, deciding to transform the single-screen cinema into a three-screen venue. Located on the Champs-Elysées, the Balzac faced tough competition at the time, which has only intensified over the years and continues even today after the cinema was taken over by David Henochsberg in 2018.
Undoubtedly, it is thanks to Jean-Jacques that quality cinema remains firmly established in this iconic Parisian neighborhood. Always relevant and kind, mirroring his daily presentations to the audience, he was also an innovator, revitalizing the cinema's programming with special events such as musical and culinary animations, as well as through technology: he was one of the pioneers of digital projection, presenting Ingmar Bergman's last feature film, SARABAND, in 2004.
He was a committed European, often looking towards the countries of Central Europe that joined the European Union in the 2000s. The Balzac was one of the very first cinemas to join the Network in 1994, and Jean-Jacques was a faithful member of our association, sometimes representing Europa Cinemas abroad. He warmly welcomed network exhibitors on several occasions during our conferences.
We mourn the loss of this great figure of auteur cinema and we convey our deepest sympathy and condolences to his loved ones.
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Picture: Valérie Dayan
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