Phono-Cinema-Théâtre

At the 1900 Paris Exposition visitors had their first taste of sound cinema, thanks to the Phono-Cinema-Théâtre. After a century in obscurity these startling shorts screen here in the UK for the first time.

This special pavilion featured current stars of theatre and variety, including Sarah Bernhardt’s Hamlet and a can-can by Gabrielle Réjane, captured on film with original sound thanks to an ingenious gramophone system. After a century in obscurity these startling short films, many of them in hand-tinted colour, have been restored by the Cinémathèque Française and after being unveiled in Pordenone screen here in the UK for the first time. The material without sound will be accompanied by a live trio led by pianist and arranger John Sweeney.

This UK premiere is presented in partnership with the Barber Institute and the University of Birmingham’s Cultural Engagement team.

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