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Plus d'un cinéphile a vu ce chef-d'œuvre à l'affiche.

Plus d'un cinéphile a vu ce chef-d'œuvre à l'affiche.
More than one film lover saw this masterpiece playing.
From Lesson 395:Paradoxical agreement (plus d'un, moins de deux)·French

Questions & Answers about Plus d'un cinéphile a vu ce chef-d'œuvre à l'affiche.

Why is the verb singular (a vu) when 'plus d'un' clearly refers to multiple people?
This is a classic French agreement paradox! Even though plus d'un (more than one) means multiple people logically, the grammar strictly follows the singular number un. Therefore, the noun that follows (cinéphile) and the verb (a vu) must both be singular.
What if the sentence used 'moins de deux' (less than two) instead?
Here is the second half of the paradox taught in this lesson: moins de deux means just one person logically, but because of the plural word deux, it requires a plural noun and a plural verb! If we swapped it in, the sentence would become Moins de deux cinéphiles ont vu...
What does à l'affiche literally mean in this context?
Literally, une affiche is a poster. In the context of movies or theater, a film that is à l'affiche is currently showing or 'on the bill'. It refers to the promotional posters traditionally displayed outside the cinema.
How would you make the compound noun chef-d'œuvre plural?
You only add an 's' to the first word: chefs-d'œuvre. In French compound nouns joined by a preposition (like the d' here), usually only the first, primary noun becomes plural. Think of them as 'master' pieces, not pieces of 'masters'.

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