Montmartre played a huge role in the film Amelie as well as in Paris in general. In the film, Montmartre was the key town in which a large majority of the scenes took place. The area itself is located at the northern most arrondissement of Paris. One of Montmartre’s earlier appearances was the martyr of Saint Dennis, who was said to have been decapitated and carried his head to Montmartre to die. It’s notoriety stirred after the French Revolution when the Sacre Couer was built/ consecrated. The Sacre Couer marked the end of the revolution to Paris and represented a place for both parties- the communards and the French government- to reconcile themselves for their actions towards each other during the revolution. The area was inhabited by bohemians and artists of the time period. Following the revolution was a turning point for art, so Montmartre was an area that encouraged artistic talent.
The movie also represented Montmartre as an area of youth and creativeness. However, further research has expressed that natives of the area are no longer struggling artists because the area has become such a tourist attraction that the cost of living is through the roof. Montmartre was once known for its introduction of cabarets such as Le Chat Noir. Later, it gained notoriety as a sex district. Modern day, as you walk through the main boulevards of Montmartre you pass by dozens upon dozens of sex stores.
The film portrayed Montmartre as an open community of creative men and women. It presented several young characters who lived in the area and what their likely professions where. Nino, for instance, acknowledged the sex culture of the area because he worked in a porn film shop. Amelie represented the cafe culture. However, the film did not fully emphasize the tourist culture of the area. In conclusion, the film drew upon several notable sites and ways of life by following around the love story of Amelie and Nino.