JM Video, one of just two remaining DVD rental shops in the French capital, stands as a cherished hub for film lovers, even attracting stars like Brad Pitt when they visit the city.
Yet, this Parisian institution now faces an existential threat from the relentless expansion of streaming platforms.
The issue is not a lack of choice; JM Video boasts an impressive library of more than 50,000 films. This dwarfs the approximately 5,000 titles typically available on Netflix at any given time, and even surpasses the combined catalogues of all major streaming services.
"It's one of the few places in Paris with a real film collection, you can find things here that you cannot find anywhere else," remarked movie enthusiast Virginie Breton, a regular customer who rents DVDs several times a week.
However, such dedication is proving insufficient to keep JM Video afloat.
Exorbitant Parisian property rents and a dwindling customer base, exacerbated by the proliferation of streaming giants like Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, and Apple TV+, are slowly suffocating the cave-like shop, where DVDs overflow from floor-to-ceiling racks.
Established in 1982, JM Video was once one of roughly 5,000 video rental outlets across France at the close of the last century, long before Netflix transitioned from a DVD rental service to a streaming pioneer around 2010.
Now, France has only about 10 DVD rental shops, two of which are in Paris.
Store manager Theo Bancilhon said JM Video is struggling to pay rent and the salaries for its three employees, and has lost close to €20,000 ($24,000) in the past two years.
This month, the store launched a crowdfunding call, raising around €26,000 from more than 1,000 donors in less than two weeks.
But the store needs €35,000 to secure its immediate future and € 65,000 to be safe in the long run, Bancilhon said.
He firmly believes in the DVD rental concept, noting young people in particular are interested in high-quality formats.
"We are a beacon in the night that goes against the new ways of consuming a certain culture. It's good for people to know there is another way of approaching cinema, not driven by algorithms," Bancilhon said.
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