Amélie Poulainization

Quite a mouthful to say, but this refers to the emerging cult of Amelie, and the throng of summer tourists who want to visit the Montmartre featured in the film. The centerpiece of this cult is the Cafe des Deux Moulins (not related to the Red Windmill, or Moulin Rouge) where regulars who order the same thing for years mix with Japanese and Dutch tourists with their tourbooks reading about Amelie. The greengrocer is now an upscale place with fruits and baskets and CDs with the songs from the movie and his commentaries about the film.

The words of Elaine Sciolino on the fascination with Amelie, from the audio slide show in The New York Times: "[Amelie] became a fantasy about Paris. A Paris that never was, and probably never would be, but an imaginary and romantic Paris...It's fun and sure it's saccharine and sweet, but gosh, it makes you feel good. And it's nice to have something that makes you feel good."