On February 16, 2026, the French postal service, La Poste, issued a stamp commemorating the Eden Théâtre cinema in La Ciotat, the oldest operating cinema in the world, to mark the 130th anniversary of the cinematograph. Founded as a theater in 1889, the Eden Théâtre in La Ciotat saw its destiny change dramatically in the autumn of 1895 with screenings of moving images using Louis Lumière's Cinématographe. Serving as both a theater and concert hall, the Eden Théâtre was a popular venue, welcoming the families of shipyard workers, the main industry in the small Provençal town of La Ciotat.
On March 21, 1899, the paid screening of 19 Lumière films before 250 enthusiastic spectators marked the official birth of the Eden Théâtre in the world of cinema, a date recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest continuously operating cinema in the world. For a century, the Eden Theatre continued to fulfill its social role by combining theatre and operetta, school and patriotic celebrations, and film screenings. The stage notably hosted the early careers of Fernandel and Yves Montand. In 2013, as part of Marseille-Provence European Capital of Culture, a renovation of the building, which had become municipal property in 1992 and was listed as a historical monument in 1996, gave new impetus to the theatre's activities. Classified as an Art House cinema, it also holds labels for young audiences, heritage, and short films.
The adventure continued in 2018 when the CNC (National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image) awarded the Eden Theatre a special jury mention for innovative venues, recognizing "its ability to combine tradition and modernity through the resolutely modern presentation of an exceptional historical heritage." The Eden Theatre, the birthplace of cinema and a symbol of cultural heritage and resistance to the ravages of time, is now firmly established in the French film and heritage landscape and beyond. It regularly welcomes the most prestigious artists and directors who contribute to the preservation of this iconic venue of the seventh art. A cultural gem of the city, the Eden Theatre is part of a unique tourist, cultural, and heritage trail, overlooking one of the world's most beautiful bays, a stone's throw from the calanques, the shipyards, and the train station where, one day, the most famous train in cinema history arrived.
