<p>In 1978, the 3rd Rencontres internationales du cinéma direct "Human looks at human", launched by the magazine IMPACT, were held at the Centre Pompidou.</p>

<p>In 1979, the <span><a href="http://www.bpi.fr/">Bibliothèque publique d’information</a></span> created <strong>Cinéma du réel</strong>, international festival of ethnographic and sociological films at the <span><a href="http://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/Accueil.nsf/Document/HomePage?OpenDocument&amp;L=2">Centre Pompidou</a></span>, supported by the C.N.R.S. (French national center for research) and by the "Comité du film ethnographique" (Ethnographic film committee), in order to promote the documentary cinema.</p>

<p>The festival is organized by the <span><a href="http://www.bpi.fr/">Bibliothèque publique d’information</a></span> (Public information library) together with the association Les Amis du Cinéma du réel (Friends of the Cinéma du réel), founded in 1984.</p>
