Exit of a factory, by Auguste and Louis Lumière.

The cinematograph, literally the “the writing of the movement”, is a device perfected by the Lumière brothers at their factory in Lyon in 1895. Based on the working of the Thomas A. Edison’s Kinetoscope their invention is an instant success.

“Exit of a factory” is the very first film in cinema history. Indeed, the Lumière brothers non content with being the inventors of the cinema itself, are also known as the first filmmakers. Their favourite topic, instead of being still lifes, are people filmed in their daily activities. The tone is set: the cinematograph will film movement.

On the screening, which is only a few minutes long, you could see about 300 workers getting out of the factory after a good day’s work. The audience can’t believe their eyes, the show is performed again and again and the extraordinary device is exported abroad. Others films are made, “the gardener and the mischievous boy” will be the first comedy ever.

The cinema is born!

Tags: cinema history, classic cinema, classic films, classic movies, exit of a factory, French director, french filmmaker, Lumiere brothers