Lumière brothers present projected film to Société d'encouragement pour l'industrie nationale

Background. The Lumière brothers, French manufacturers of photography equipment, developed the Cinématographe motion picture system. Their patent for an apparatus to obtain and view chronophotographic prints was filed on 13 February 1895. Historians question Louis Lumière's claim that he shot the film in August 1894, as a functional camera did not exist before early 1895.

The Screening. The brothers screened a single film, Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory, for around 200 members of the Société d'encouragement pour l'industrie nationale in Paris. This private event is probably the first presentation of projected film. The audience included Léon Gaumont, director of the Comptoir Géneral de la Photographie.

Projection Technology. To project images in their 1895 presentations, the Lumières used a common magic lantern produced by Alfred Molteni. The stroboscopic presentations resulted in a slightly distracting shimmer, identified as a shortcoming by Jules Janssen at the 12 June 1895 convention. The brothers later added a fixed shutter and lens diaphragm to regulate light.