Cinema is one of humanity’s youngest art forms, but its evolution has been so rapid that, in just over a century, it has already accumulated thousands of works, styles and innovations. However, many people don’t know that the first films in history still exist — and can be watched today .
In this article, we’ll explore the first films ever made, how they were made, why they were revolutionary, and where you can find them today . Get ready for a journey back to the origins of the seventh art!
When and where did cinema begin?
Cinema officially emerged on December 28, 1895 , when brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière held the first paid public screening of a film in Paris, at the Grand Café on Boulevard des Capucines.
They introduced the audience to the cinematograph , a machine that filmed, developed and projected moving images. That historic session showed short documentaries, with simple scenes from everyday life.
This moment is considered the birth of cinema as a collective spectacle , inaugurating a new way of telling stories through moving images.
What were the first films shown?
On that night in 1895, the Lumière brothers screened ten short films , each less than a minute long. Among them, the most famous are:
1. Arrival of the Train at the Station ( L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat )
It shows a train approaching the camera. Audiences at the time would have been frightened, thinking the train was going to leave the screen.
2. The Workers’ Exit from the Lumière Factory ( La Sortie de l’usine Lumière à Lyon )
Employees leave the factory at the end of the day — a simple but historic scene.
3. Baby’s Lunch ( Le Déjeuner de bébé )
A couple feeds their baby son. One of the first records of a family moment on film.
These films had no dialogue, soundtracks or editing. They were made with a static camera, capturing real, everyday scenes — and yet they fascinated the public.
The emergence of fiction: Georges Méliès and fantasy cinema
If the Lumières inaugurated the documentary, it was Georges Méliès who created fictional cinema . In 1896, he began making films with stories, theatrical settings and manual special effects.
His most famous film, A Trip to the Moon ( Le Voyage dans la Lune , 1902), shows astronauts being launched to the Moon by a cannon — complete with the iconic image of the Moon with a rocket stuck in its eye.
Méliès was the first to use:
- Hand painted backdrops
- Multiple exposures
- Scene cuts to create magic
- Painting on the films to add color
These innovations made cinema not just a reproduction of reality, but also a tool of imagination and fantasy.
Are there still copies of these films?
Yes! Many of the earliest films still exist — and can be viewed for free on online platforms . This is only possible thanks to the restoration and digitization work done by film archives and cultural institutions .
Where to find:
- YouTube : Several channels share restored versions of Lumière and Méliès shorts.
- Internet Archive (archive.org) : has an extensive collection of public and historical films.
- Library of Congress website (USA) : houses digitized copies with technical information.
- Lumière Foundation and National Cinematheques : offer access to online collections.
Even though they are over 120 years old, these records still enchant — and reveal how curiosity and the desire to record the world are timeless.
How were these films preserved?
In the early days, films were recorded on cellulose nitrate , a flammable and short-lived material. Many films from this era were lost in fires, discarded, or deteriorated over time.
It is estimated that around 75% of silent cinema has been lost forever . However, some copies have been saved by collectors, archives and film buffs who recognize their historical value.
Restoration involves:
- Physical cleaning of the film
- High resolution scanning
- Visual flaw correction
- Adding soundtrack to restored versions
Thanks to this effort, we can still watch these pioneering works in surprising quality.
Why is it important to watch the first movies?
Watching the first films in history is like visiting the infancy of an art form. It is an exercise in empathy with the perspective of the public at the time and a chance to appreciate the paths that cinema has taken to date .
By watching you will learn:
- How visual language evolved
- The origin of the techniques we still use
- The power of telling stories without words
- The cultural and emotional impact of cinema since its beginnings
Furthermore, you come to understand that everything we see today in Hollywood or on streaming had its embryo in these small silent, black and white films .
Fun facts about the first films
- The Lumière brothers considered cinema merely a scientific curiosity and did not believe in the commercial future of art .
- Georges Méliès produced more than 500 films , but many were lost during wars and financial crises.
- Most early films were less than 60 seconds long.
- Some of Méliès’ films already used rudimentary storyboards , a common practice in cinema to this day.
- There were performances with a live soundtrack, usually performed by pianists or small groups.
A legacy that still shines
The first films in history may seem simple by today’s standards, but they were the ones that lit the flame of collective imagination in cinema . Every cut, every frame and every reaction from the audience of the time helped shape the language we use to this day.
Whether you study film, work in the field or simply love this art, revisiting these works is an opportunity to reconnect with the origin of everything. And more than that: it is a way to appreciate how much cinema can move you — even with a still camera and without a single word.