Willson Center Cinema Roundtable: "Watching the First Lumière Films, 130 Years Later"

In 1895, the Lumière Brothers of Lyon, France presented their first projected motion pictures. The Lumières already owned the largest photographic company in the world when Louis and Auguste created their cinématographe, the first successful camera and projector. Their short films documented daily life and revolutionized modern entertainment and culture. The Lumières soon sent operators around the globe to record and show their films, “bringing the world to the world.” They even hung a gigantic screen from the Eiffel Tower, presenting their latest movies to over a million people at the Paris Exhibition.

This panel discusses the Lumière motion pictures from artistic, cultural, and technical perspectives and will show some recently restored 50-second Lumière films. Panelists include Professor Nell Andrew (Art History), Professor Rachel Gabara (Romance languages), and Professor Kate Fortmueller (Georgia State University). Professor emeritus Richard Neupert (Film) moderates. The roundtable is presented by the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts and the department of theatre and film as part of the university's 2025 Spotlight on the Arts festival. It is free and open to the public, which will be invited to ask questions and join the conversation.