The seventh edition of the Festival Chefs Op’ en Lumière has just concluded in Chalon-sur-Saône, confirming its now unmissable place in the landscape of festivals dedicated to the art of cinematography.

With a remarkable attendance of 11,000 spectators, film enthusiasts and the general public mingled with imaging professionals during a 2025 edition that reflects the growing enthusiasm for the craft of cinema image-making.

This annual gathering is an opportunity to discover unreleased films, meet cinematographers and debate the issues of cinematic photography through talks, workshops and screenings.

An official programme that puts the image in the spotlight

The programme, featuring 46 films including 23 previews, offered a panorama of European cinematic creation. Eight works stood out in official competition: Lumières d’hiver (2024), directed by Anna Fischer and photographed by Marco Leclerc; Horizons brisés (2024), directed by Miguel Torres and photographed by Sofia Mendes; Le Silence d’Héléna (2024), directed by Pierre Garnier and photographed by Élodie Moreau; Mare Nostrum (2024), directed by Giovanni Rossi and photographed by Luca Bianchi; Les Échos du Passé (2024), directed by Katarina Novak and photographed by Ivan Petrov; Sombres Reflets (2024), directed by Henrik Olsson and photographed by Lars Lindgren; La Dernière Lumière (2024), directed by Isabelle Dubois and photographed by Thomas Lefèvre; and Vents Contraires (2024), directed by David Klein and photographed by Miriam Berger.

The Union of Cinematographers at the heart of the festival

For this edition, 13 members of the Union took part in the festival. This succession of Active Members, Aspiring Members and Student Members was a privileged moment to discover films and exchange views about the profession. The UCO also contributed to the festival by hosting two events focused on the image.

Our workshop dedicated to building light in a studio, led by Séverine Barde (SCS) and Thomas Lallier (UCO), allowed participants to become Director of Photography for the duration of the workshop and give their instructions for lighting a shot. Secondary school students, university students and film enthusiasts were able to discover the other side of the image: equipment positioning off-camera, the use of different sources, green-screen compositing, and more.

This workshop was made possible thanks to the involvement of our partners: Acc&Led, ARRI, COOKE, Direct Digital, Emit, RVZ, ADC Décorateurs Cinéma, Indie Loc, Sony, Leitz, Leica, DMG Lighting, K5600, One Stop Cine, Maluna and TRM Audiovisuel.

In collaboration with the AFC, we organised a roundtable on the theme of documentary cinema.

Participants included Charlotte Michel, UCO, Nicolas Le Gal, UCO, Isabelle Razavet, AFC, Laurent Chalet, AFC, Paul Guilhaume, AFC, Pascale Marin, AFC, Sarah Blum, AFC, Colin Levêque, SBC, and Thomas Favel, AFC, moderated by Cécile Bodénès, UCO. The discussion addressed the issues and challenges of our profession within this cinematic genre. What preparation goes into a documentary? What is the relationship between the cinematographer and the subject? What boundaries are shared between fiction and documentary? How does image work adapt to the codes of this genre?

The guests shared their images, their experiences and their thoughts on what is known as cinéma du réel. This conversation explored the delicate alchemy between technique and sensitivity in capturing reality, questioning the intimate relationship that develops between the cinematographer and their subject.

2025 Awards

The jury of this edition, chaired by Rémy Chevrin (AFC), brought together iconic figures of cinema: cinematographers Sarah Blum (AFC) and Colin Leveque (SBC), actress and director Marianne Denicourt, journalist Anne-Claire Cieutat and screenwriter and director François Favrat. Under the direction of N.T. Binh from the Positif review, the award ceremony at the Espace des Arts honoured works that renew contemporary visual language.

• Paroles d’Image 11-15 years: L’Histoire de Charline et Louna (2025) by Sophie Martin, photographed by Julien Lefebvre
• Paroles d’Image 15-20 years, Le Cri d’un Homme (2025) by Thomas Durand, lit by Claire Benoît
• Youth Prize awarded La Jeune Femme à l’Aiguille (2024) by Magnus von Horn, photographed by Michał Dymek
• Light Discovery Prize went to Vingt Dieux (2024) by Louise Courvoisier, photographed by Camille Laurent and Nicolas Perrin
• Audience Award went to Le Village aux Portes du Paradis (2025) by Élodie Marchand, enhanced by the lens of Vincent Dupuis
• A Special Jury Prize acknowledging Julie se tait (2025) by Adrien Morel, where Alice Fontaine composes a visual score of rare sensitivity
• Festival Prize crowned Ce nouvel an qui n’est jamais arrivé (2025) by Hugo Lambert, photographed by Marion Dubois

Final Word

This seventh edition of the Festival Chefs Op’ en Lumière once again shone a light on cinematic art and the diversity of talents that contribute to creating powerful and evocative images. With an ambitious programme, enriching workshops and accessible discussions, the festival put cinema imagery centre stage to reveal its secrets to the widest possible audience. See you next year!