The First Film (2015)
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- Not Rated
- 1h 51min
- Documentary, Biography
- 08 Sep 2016 (USA)
- Movie
Leeds born filmmaker David Nicholas Wilkinson's thirty three year quest to prove that the worlds film industry started in Leeds, Yorkshire, England in 1888.
Director:
Writers:
Award:
- 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast
| David Wilkinson | ... |
Self
(as David Nicholas Wilkinson)
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Bernard Atha | ... |
Self - Leeds City Council
(as Councillor Bernard Atha)
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| Tom Courtenay | ... |
Self - Yorkshire's Finest Actor
(as Sir Tom Courtenay)
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Nigel Cross | ... |
Self - Head of B.F.I. Film Centre, Cannes
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Quentin Dowse | ... |
Self - Retired Chief Superintendent & Senior Investigating Officer
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Tony Earnshaw | ... |
Self - Writer & Film Critic
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| Joe Eszterhas | ... |
Self - Screenwriter
(as Joe Estzerhas)
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Paul Goodman | ... |
Self - Curator, National Media Museum
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Louise A. Handley | ... |
Self - Intellectual Property Lawyer
(as Louise A Handley)
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Michael Harvey | ... |
Self - Former Film Curator, National Media Museum
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| Ronald Harwood | ... |
Self - Oscar Winning Screenwriter
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Stephen Herbert | ... |
Self - Film Historian & Writer
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Daniel Martin | ... |
Self - Curator, Armley Mills Industrial Museum
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Mick McCann | ... |
Self - Author of 'How Leeds Changed The World'
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Beatrice Neumann | ... |
Self - International Film Acquisitions
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Tony North | ... |
Self - Leeds Philosophical & Literary Society
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| Tony Pierce-Roberts | ... |
Self - Director of Photography
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Jacques Pfend | ... |
Self - Film Historian
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| Gavin Poolman | ... |
Self - International Film Financier & Producer
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Mark Rance | ... |
Self - Film Historian / Archivist
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Katharine Round | ... |
Self - Documentary Film Maker
(as Katherine Round)
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Liz Rymer | ... |
Self - Former Director of Leeds International Film Festival
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Irfan Shah | ... |
Self - Writer & Researcher
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Laurie Snyder | ... |
Self - Great-Great-Granddaughter of Louis Le Prince
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Gordon Trewinnard | ... |
Self - Motion Picture Camera Collector
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Carol S Ward | ... |
Self - Historian / Curator, Morris-Jumel Mansion
(as Carol S. Ward)
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| Adrian Wootton | ... |
Self - Chief Executive, Film London / Film Historian
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| Stephane Cornicard | ... |
Louis Le Prince (voice)
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| Sarah Lancashire | ... |
Lizzie Le Prince (voice)
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Ben Eagle | ... |
Adolphe Le Prince (voice)
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| Andreea Paduraru | ... |
Annie Hartley: Roundhay Gardens Scene Recreation
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Birt Acres | ... |
Self (creditOnly)
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John Adderley | ... |
Self - Single Lens Kinematographer
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Toni Booth | ... |
Self - Associate Curator, National Media Museum
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John Carbutt | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Georges Demenÿ | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| William K.L. Dickson | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Robert Donat | ... |
Self - The Magic Box (archiveFootage)
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Wordsworth Donisthorpe | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Thomas A. Edison | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Aurelie Freoua | ... |
Self
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| William Friese-Greene | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Annie Hartley | ... |
Self - Roundhay Garden Scene (archiveFootage)
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| Philip Jackson | ... |
Self - 'Made In Yorkshire' Book (creditOnly)
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| Charles Francis Jenkins | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Adolphe Le Prince | ... |
Self - Son of Louis Le Prince (archiveFootage)
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Albert Le Prince | ... |
Self - Brother of Louis Le Prince (archiveFootage)
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Elizabeth Marie Antoinette Le Prince | ... |
Self - Mother of Louis Le Prince (archiveFootage)
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Lizzie Le Prince | ... |
Self - Wife of Louis Le Prince (archiveFootage)
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Louis Abraham Ambroise Le Prince | ... |
Self - Father of Louis Le Prince (archiveFootage)
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Marie Le Prince | ... |
Self - Daughter of Louis Le Prince (archiveFootage)
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| Auguste Lumière | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Louis Lumière | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Étienne-Jules Marey | ... |
Self (creditOnly)
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| Ewan McGregor | ... |
Self - 'Made In Yorkshire' Book (creditOnly)
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| Eadweard Muybridge | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Théophile Poilpot | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince | ... |
(archiveFootage)
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Tivadar Puskás | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Ernest Kilburn Scott | ... |
Self - Writer of The Pioneer Work of Le Prince in Kinematography / Liberal Candidate for South Leeds (archiveFootage)
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Emil Skladanowsky | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Max Skladanowsky | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| David Tennant | ... |
Self - 'Made In Yorkshire' Book (creditOnly)
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| Nikola Tesla | ... |
Self - Inventor, Engineer and Physicist (creditOnly)
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John Whitley | ... |
Self - Brother-in-Law of Louis Le Prince (creditOnly)
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Joseph Whitley | ... |
Self - Roundhay Garden Scene (archiveFootage)
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Sarah Whitley | ... |
Self - Roundhay Garden Scene (archiveFootage)
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Carl Zeiss | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Directed by
| David Wilkinson | ... | (as David Nicholas Wilkinson) |
Written by
| David Wilkinson | ... | () (as David Nicholas Wilkinson) & |
| Irfan Shah | ... | () |
Produced by
| Doug Abbott | ... | executive producer |
| Chris Jones | ... | co-producer |
| Bill Lawrence | ... | co-producer |
| Martin Myers | ... | associate producer |
| Sidonie Roberts | ... | co-producer |
| Irfan Shah | ... | co-producer |
| David Wilkinson | ... | producer (as David Nicholas Wilkinson) |
| Robert Worcester | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Christopher Barnett | ||
Cinematography by
| Liam Ayres | ||
| David Beaumont | ||
| Don McVey | ||
Editing by
| David Hughes | ||
Editorial Department
| Paula Hughes | ... | editing assistant |
Makeup Department
| David Sturgeon | ... | beard stylist: Murdock London: David Nicholas Wilkinson / hair stylist: Murdock London: David Nicholas Wilkinson |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Carl Aitken | ... | first assistant director |
| Spencer Burke | ... | second assistant director |
| Don McVey | ... | second unit director |
| Tamsyn O'Connor | ... | first assistant director |
Art Department
| Sara Mitchell | ... | title sequence |
| David Palser | ... | graphics sequences |
Sound Department
| Andy Black | ... | sound (as Andrew Black) |
| Tudor Davies | ... | post-production sound: 400 Company |
| Brian Gray | ... | sound |
| Paddy Hanlon | ... | sound (as Patrick Hanlon) |
| Johan Maertens | ... | sound |
| Ryan Jay Tweedie | ... | sound (as Ryan Jay) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| John Adderley | ... | single lens kinematographer |
| Rachel Barber | ... | additional camera |
| Jean Birckel | ... | additional camera |
| Giumis Carrino | ... | additional camera |
| Mark Davis | ... | stills photographer |
| Chris Fahy | ... | hyperlapse cinematographer |
| Jake Harvey | ... | camera assistant |
| Irene Marco | ... | additional camera |
| Steve McAleavy | ... | additional camera |
| Nathan Page | ... | additional camera |
| Sebastian Solberg | ... | additional camera |
| Jamie Tongue | ... | camera assistant |
Music Department
| Ian East | ... | musician: flute |
| Catherine Houghton | ... | musician: violin |
| Alric Wilson | ... | music assistant |
Additional Crew
| Oksana Belousova | ... | production assistant |
| Alison Butters | ... | assistant to: the producer |
| Jordan Carroll | ... | production assistant (as Jordon Carroll) |
| Penelope Easton | ... | production accountant |
| Aurelie Freoua | ... | production co-ordinator |
| Alev Gunes | ... | production assistant |
| David Monniaux | ... | copyright: Fusil Photographique d'Étienne-Jules Marey |
| Tamsyn O'Connor | ... | production co-ordinator |
| Evelynne Ralph-Larner | ... | production co-ordinator |
| Lisa Richards | ... | press relations |
| Oliver Roberts | ... | production assistant |
| Elias Savada | ... | picture research: America |
| Irfan Shah | ... | researcher |
| Alex Stolz | ... | distribution strategist |
| Lydia Watson-Lewis | ... | production assistant |
| Emilie Erskine | ... | publicist: America (uncredited) |
Thanks
| Eric Ambler | ... | special thanks to: The Town Hall, Leeds |
| Larra Anderson | ... | special thanks to |
| Sarah Barton | ... | special thanks to: Armley Mills Museum |
| Toni Booth | ... | special thanks to: The National Media Museum |
| Laurence Boyce | ... | thanks to |
| Eve Bradford | ... | thanks to: Thoresby Society |
| Andy Bull | ... | special thanks to |
| Bobby Cochrane | ... | thanks to: Creative England |
| Wendy Cook | ... | special thanks to: The Hyde Park Cinema |
| Jeff Cousins | ... | thanks to |
| Mark Currie | ... | special thanks to: Chocolate Films |
| Faye Dawson | ... | special thanks to: Grand Theatre, Leeds |
| Grace Dean | ... | special thanks to: Grand Theatre, Leeds |
| John Ebo | ... | special thanks to: Leeds City Council |
| Harriet Fleuriot | ... | thanks to |
| Andrew Fryer | ... | special thanks to |
| Peter Fydler | ... | thanks to |
| Jane Giles | ... | thanks to |
| Andrew Gill | ... | special thanks to: Middleton Railway Leeds |
| Ian Grey | ... | special thanks to |
| Zoe Guilford | ... | thanks to (as Zoe Guildford) |
| Matt Harlock | ... | thanks to |
| Martin John Harris | ... | special thanks to |
| Chris Hatton | ... | special thanks to: Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society |
| Sonja Henrici | ... | thanks to |
| Hugo Heppell | ... | thanks to |
| Richard Higson-Blythe | ... | special thanks to: Leeds City Museum |
| Chris Hordley | ... | thanks to: Creative England |
| Charlotte Hunter | ... | thanks to |
| Tracie Johnson | ... | thanks to |
| Brendan Keane | ... | special thanks to: Morris-Jumel Mansions, New York |
| David Keyte | ... | special thanks to |
| Phil Kirby | ... | special thanks to: Temple Works |
| Johnny Kirk | ... | special thanks to: The Town Hall, Leeds (as John Kirk) |
| Danny Lacey | ... | special thanks to |
| Craig Lawson | ... | thanks to |
| Kate Linford | ... | special thanks to: Midland Hotel, Bradford |
| Keith Loudon | ... | special thanks to |
| Cluny Macpherson | ... | thanks to |
| Christopher O. Magee | ... | special thanks to: National Archives, Kansas City (as Christopher O.Magee) |
| Rebecca Marshall | ... | special thanks to: The Electric Palace, Hastings |
| Ion Martea | ... | special thanks to |
| Massimo Moretti | ... | special thanks to |
| Anita Morris | ... | special thanks to: Corn Exchange Leeds (as Anita Morris PR) |
| Amanda Nevill | ... | thanks to |
| Laura Nicholson | ... | special thanks to: Leeds City Council |
| Chris O'Neil | ... | thanks to |
| Phil Oates | ... | special thanks to: The National Media Museum |
| Philippe Parmentier | ... | special thanks to: Dijon station / special thanks to: SNCF |
| Gary Peacock | ... | special thanks to: Midland Hotel, Bradford |
| Anna Pepe | ... | thanks to |
| Charlie Phillips | ... | special thanks to |
| Simon Popple | ... | thanks to |
| Jenny Popplewell | ... | special thanks to: The Calls Hotel Leeds |
| Stephanie Porritt | ... | special thanks to |
| Jonathan Priestley | ... | special thanks to: 3volution |
| Jo Quinton-Tulloch | ... | special thanks to: The National Media Museum |
| Bingham Ray | ... | dedicated to the memory of |
| Amy Roberts | ... | special thanks to |
| Jasime Rodgers | ... | special thanks to: Science Museum, London |
| Sue Roe | ... | special thanks: Salt's Mill, Saltaire |
| Kimberly L Rogers | ... | thanks to (as Kimberly L. Rogers) |
| Jerry Rothwell | ... | thanks to |
| Liz Rymer | ... | special thanks to: Leeds Trinity University |
| Maggie Silver | ... | special thanks: Salt's Mill, Saltaire |
| Robin Silver | ... | special thanks: Salt's Mill, Saltaire |
| Helen Sunderland | ... | special thanks to: The National Media Museum |
| Chris Tweedly | ... | special thanks to: Central Library Leeds |
| Colin Vaines | ... | thanks to |
| Martin Waller | ... | special thanks to: Odeon Cinemas |
| Tim Waters | ... | special thanks to: Odeon Cinemas |
| Will White | ... | special thanks to: The National Media Museum |
| Anthony Wiles | ... | special thanks to: Kirkgate Market |
| Tony Wilkinson | ... | dedicated to the memory of |
| Susan Williamson | ... | special thanks to: Temple Works |
| David Wilson | ... | special thanks to: Bradford City of Film |
| Andy Wooding | ... | thanks to |
| Lucinda Yeadon | ... | thanks to |
| Neil Young | ... | special thanks to: Leeds City Council |
Production Companies
- Guerilla Docs
- Guerilla Group (presents)
- Robert Worcester (presents)
- The John Chittock Foundation (presents)
- Guerilla Docs (production)
Distributors
- Guerilla Films (2015) (Ireland) (theatrical)
- Guerilla Films (2016) (United States) (theatrical)
- Amazon Freevee (2023) (United Kingdom) (tv)
- Film4 (2016) (United Kingdom) (tv)
- Guerilla Films (2015) (United Kingdom)
- Mola TV (2024) (Indonesia) (tv)
- Sky Arts (2019) (United Kingdom) (tv)
- Sundance Independent Film Channel (2018) (Non-US) (tv)
- Toute l'Histoire (2016) (France) (tv)
- Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2017) (Spain) (tv)
- Vodafone (2024) (Greece) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- The 400 Company (post-production & post-production sound)
- Penelope Easton (production accountant)
- Universal Works (suits: David Nicholas Wilkinson)
- Universal Works (scarves & shoes: David Nicholas Wilkinson)
- John Smedley (shirts & sweaters: David Nicholas Wilkinson)
- Murdock London (hair & beard stylist: David Nicholas Wilkinson)
- Essex Insurance Services (production insurance)
- Science Museum (copyright: Roundhay Garden Scene)
- Science Museum (copyright: Leeds Bridge Scene)
- Science Museum (copyright: Accordion Player)
- Science Museum (copyright: Man Walking Around a Corner)
- Chocolate Films (copyright: Muybridge's Zoopraxiscope: Setting Time in Motion)
- Kingston Museum (copyright: Muybridge's Zoopraxiscope: Setting Time in Motion)
- Kingston Heritage Service (copyright: Muybridge's Zoopraxiscope: Setting Time in Motion)
- BFI National Archive (courtesy: Birt Acres 1895 Derby)
- Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland (courtesy: Wordsworth Donisthorpe images)
- Leeds City Council (courtesy of: Leeds Bridge by John Atkinson Grimshaw)
- Bridgeman Art Library (courtesy of: Leeds Bridge by John Atkinson Grimshaw)
- Trumbull Studios (courtesy of: Douglas Trumbull photos)
- New York Public Library (courtesy of: Institute for Deaf & Dumb, New York)
- Leodis (courtesy of: various images of Leeds)
- StudioCanal Films (copyright: The Magic Box images)
- Yorkshire Post Newspapers (courtesy of: 1930's Leeds Presentation)
- Film London (thanks to)
- The Thoresby Society (thanks to)
- Boutique Catering (thanks to)
- ArtForms, Leeds (thanks to)
- Artemis, Leeds (thanks to)
- Oakwood Grange, Leeds (thanks to)
- Community Links (thanks to)
- Creative England (thanks to)
- Whitelock's Ale House, Leeds (thanks to)
- Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society (special thanks to)
- National Media Museum (special thanks to)
- Leeds Industrial Museum (special thanks to)
- Leeds Central Library (special thanks to)
- Leeds Beckett University (special thanks to)
- Northern Film School (special thanks to)
- Leeds Trinity University (special thanks to)
- Middleton Railway, Leeds (special thanks to)
- Vintage Carriages Trust (special thanks to)
- Hyde Park Picture House (special thanks to)
- Morris-Jumel Mansion (special thanks to)
- Electric Palace Cinema, Hastings (special thanks to)
- Anita Morris Associates - Public Relations (special thanks to)
- Leeds Corn Exchange (special thanks to)
- Leeds Town Hall (special thanks to)
- 42 The Calls Hotel, Leeds (special thanks to)
- Midland Hotel, Bradford (special thanks to)
- Salts Mill (special thanks to)
- Leeds Kirkgate Market (special thanks to)
- The Grand Theatre & Opera House, Leeds (special thanks to)
- Odeon Cinemas (special thanks to)
- Shutterstock (special thanks to)
- Leeds City Varieties (special thanks to)
- 3volution, Leeds (special thanks to)
- Metz City Council (special thanks to)
- Bradford City of Film (special thanks to)
- Cannes Film Festival (special thanks to)
- Préfecture de Police de Paris (special thanks to)
- National Park Service (NPS) (special thanks to)
- Fire Island National Seashore (FINS) (special thanks to)
- Gare de Dijon-Ville (special thanks to)
- Societé Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) (special thanks to)
- Leeds City Museum (special thanks to)
- Leeds City Council (special thanks to)
- Temple Works, Leeds (special thanks to)
- Undercliffe Cemetery, Bradford (special thanks to)
- BFI IMAX (special thanks to)
- Friends of Roundhay St John's Church, Leeds (special thanks to)
- Library of Congress (special thanks to)
- West Yorkshire Archive Service (special thanks to)
- National Archives at Kansas City (special thanks to)
- Chocolate Films (special thanks to)
- Kingston Museum (special thanks to)
- Kingston Heritage Service (special thanks to)
- London Screenwriters' Festival (special thanks to)
- Science Museum, London (special thanks to)
- Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society (logo)
- Leeds Industrial Museum (logo)
- National Media Museum (logo)
- Guerilla Docs (logo)
- Christopher Barnett (logo)
- Universal Works (logo)
- Guerilla Films (leprince) (copyright: 2015)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In October 1888 Louis Le Prince produced the world's first films in Leeds,England. These were shot on cameras patented in both America and the UK. Once he had perfected his projection machine Le Prince arranged to demonstrate his discovery to the American public and thus the world. On 16th September 1890, just weeks before he was due to sail to New York Louis Aime Augustine Le Prince stepped onto the Dijon to Paris train and was never seen again. No body was ever found so legally no one could fight the Le Prince claim that he invented a camera that recorded the very first moving image. As a result, several years later, Thomas Edison and the Lumiere Brothers were to claim the glory and the prize of being acknowledged as the first people to pioneer film. Louis Le Prince was never added to history books. But for one lone voice, who worked with him, Le Prince's name and his pioneering work was forgotten. THE FIRST FILM is a feature length documentary proving once and for all Le Prince made the world's very first moving image film from a single point of view in Leeds, Yorkshire, England Written by David Nicholas Wilkinson |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | GBP400,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Due to budgetary constraint, the film was made over an almost three year period. Pre-production began in October 2012 and the film was finally delivered in May 2015. However, David Nicholas Wilkinson began work on the project in 1982 but it was not until 2012 and the Governments introduction of the SEIS scheme that made the film a viable proposition for investors. It opened in UK cinemas in July 2015. If Louis Le Prince had lived, he was due to show his films to the world at the Morris-Jumel Mansion in New York, George Washington's old headquarters. This would then have become the world's first movie theatre. The First Film (2015) was screened at the Mansion as part of an historic screening, squaring the circle, 126 years late. The New York Times recommended this event as a "must see" for two weeks running. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Features Man Walking Around the Corner (1887). See more » |