This chapter aims to identify and make explicit the characteristics of contemporary cinephilia in Western societies. In a context of increasing globalization – culturally conveyed by cinema, among other media – cinephilia is not an exclusive characteristic of Western societies. It is a behavior that has been facilitated by growing urbanization (Morin, 1953; Bourdieu, 1979), by a higher standard of living (Bakker, 2006), and by the normalization of leisure. It thus develops, in parallel with a national film production, as cities grow and huge megalopolises flourish in what were, until recently, non-industrialized countries. A cogent illustration is the way cinephiles now associate Hong Kong with a world-famous film genre (martial arts), and with whole communities of amateurs eagerly collecting its products.

Exploring the contemporary evolution of cinephilia, however, requires taking its technical and social foundations into account, as well as the different types of resistance expressed by some religious traditions – hence the need to relativize our approach.

Looking for Quality

In the second half of the 20th century, three factors contributed to an evolution in the means of cultivating cinematographic pleasure, by providing easier access both to past films and to information on their authors and actors.

• 1. The improvement of our cinema skills brought about by virtual film discussions; the sharing of our tastes with both initiated and uninitiated strangers; and the opportunities we now have to publicize our individual opinions on the web, either on a specific movie or on cinema as a whole;

• 2. The creation and development of information tools on films and artists, as well as of various frameworks to assess the quality of films, helping us to select which films to watch, but also to develop our cinematographic taste.

• 3. The widening of our cinema experience, through increased peer-to-peer access to the mass of films inherited from the various national film and television industries, and of our ability to express and share our tastes, brought about by the democratization of the professional tools of filmmaking.