Eye Filmmuseum and the British Film Institute present a compilation film of newly-restored rare images from the first years of filmmaking. Immerse yourself in enchanting images of Venice, Berlin, Amsterdam and London from 120 years ago. Let yourself be carried away in the mesmerizing events and celebrities of the time, and feel the enthusiasm of early cinema that overcame the challenge of capturing life-like movement.
The film documents a debate about early 20th century films, mainly 1910 to 1920, from short news reels to excerpts from full-length movies. At Amsterdam's Film Museum, film directors, students, and film researchers and archivists look at the moving images and discuss their meaning, in the social and technical contexts. Moody live music was added to the edited film.
Part of the series made for VPRO TV comprising films from the silent era. This part is a compilation of short films restored by the Netherlands Film Museum from the period 1897 to 1899. They were made by the Biograph & Mutoscope Company in Holland and abroad. The films were shot on the 68mm format that soon went out of fashion.
