December 28, 1895: First Commercial Movie Screening by Lumière Brothers

On December 28, 1895, brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière made history by presenting the first commercial public screening of motion pictures at the Grand Café in Paris. This momentous event marked the birth of cinema as we know it today.

The Lumière Brothers' Revolutionary Invention

In the 1890s, inventors worldwide experimented with capturing and displaying moving images. In early 1895, they developed the Cinématographe, a remarkably elegant device that functioned as camera, film printer, and projector. The machine weighed only 5 kilograms, making it portable unlike Edison's bulky equipment.

The Historic First Screening Program

The Lumière Brothers carefully curated the program for the first commercial screening on December 28, 1895. They selected 10 short films, each approximately 50 seconds long, showcasing different subjects and demonstrating their camera's capabilities. This 50 second film showed a train pulling into a station, moving diagonally toward the camera.

Audience Reaction and Immediate Impact

The first screening on December 28, 1895, attracted only 33 paying customers despite the Grand Café's prime location on Boulevard des Capucines in central Paris. However, those 33 spectators spread word of the incredible experience they had witnessed. By January 1896, just weeks after the first screening, over 2,500 people per day crowded into the Grand Café basement to see the Lumière films.

Why the Lumière Invention Succeeded

The Cinématographe's portability allowed operators to film anywhere and project in any suitable venue. Edison's studio bound equipment restricted filming to controlled environments. The films required no special knowledge or education to appreciate.

The Birth of an Art Form and Industry

The December 28, 1895, screening launched more than a business or technology. It created an entirely new art form that would become the dominant cultural medium of the 20th century. The industry grew explosively in the early 20th century.

The Lumière Brothers' Remarkable Foresight and Limits

By 1905, just a decade after their historic screening, the Lumière Brothers had largely withdrawn from active filmmaking. Auguste and Louis both lived long lives, Auguste dying in 1954 and Louis in 1948. They saw the introduction of sound, color, special effects, and techniques far beyond anything they imagined in 1895.