Cinema Celebrates 130 Years: A Look Back at the Lumière Brothers' Revolution

Today, December 28, 2025, marks the 130th anniversary of cinema, a milestone celebrating not just a date, but the birth of a language that has forever transformed our way of viewing the world. On a winter evening in 1895 in Paris, a handful of moving images converted scientific curiosity into spectacle and technical experiment into a collective experience, thanks to the innovation of the Lumière brothers.

The Birth of the Seventh Art

The seventh art, a term coined in 1911 by Italian critic Ricciotto Canudo, wasn't born in a monumental theatre, but in a crowded, noisy room, in front of everyday scenes that, for the first time, seemed to come to life. From that moment, movement became narrative, and time could stop, repeat, and be observed. And so, cinema began its journey.

On December 28, 1895, Auguste and Louis Lumière organized the first public, paid cinematographic projection at the Salon indien du Grand Café in Boulevard des Capucines. This marked a pivotal shift from demonstrations for scientists and photographers to a spectacle open to the general public, solidifying the official beginning of cinema history.

That evening, ten short films flickered across the screen, each lasting only a few seconds. No one knew then that this event would enter the history books. Yet, from that moment on, cinema would be more than just a technical curiosity.

The First Film: A Simple Yet Revolutionary Scene

Many believe that the first film projected to an audience was L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat, featuring the famous train that seemed to rush towards the spectators. However, this short film was shown a few days later, on January 6, 1896.

The true starting point is another title, simpler and therefore even more revolutionary: L’uscita dalle officine Lumière (La Sortie des usines Lumière), or Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory. It was the first film to be projected that evening and is therefore considered the birth certificate of cinema.

Details of the Revolutionary Film

The film lasts less than a minute and shows a group of workers, mostly women, leaving the Lumière factory in Montplaisir, on the outskirts of Lyon. There is no plot, no characters, and no conflict. Yet, in those forty seconds, everything is already there: the movement, the composition of the shot, and the idea that reality can be staged.

Because that scene is not accidental. The shots are organized, repeated several times, probably to adapt to the duration of the reel. There are different versions, with spring and winter clothes. Without knowing it, the Lumière brothers not only invented cinema, but also the concept of remake. Reality, in front of the camera, can be recreated.

The Legacy of the Lumière Factory

The building filmed in the movie was largely demolished in 1970, but the shed shown in the scene was saved, restored and classified as a historical monument in 1995. Today it is known as Hangar du Premier-Film and houses the cinema of the Lumière Institute in Lyon.

Key Milestones in Early Cinema

Here's a table highlighting key milestones in the development of early cinema:

Centotrent’anni dopo quella sera parigina, il cinema continua a nascere nello stesso modo: qualcuno spegne le luci, un fascio luminoso attraversa il buio e delle immagini iniziano a muoversi. Tutto il resto dai divi, i generi, le tecnologie, l’animazione verrà dopo. Ma l’incanto resta lo stesso di quella sera del 28 dicembre 1895.

The Enduring Magic of Cinema

One hundred and thirty years after that Parisian evening, cinema continues to be born in the same way: someone turns off the lights, a beam of light crosses the darkness, and images begin to move. All the rest – the stars, the genres, the technologies, the animation – will come later. But the enchantment remains the same as that evening of December 28, 1895.

To further illustrate the impact of the Lumière brothers' work, consider the following comparisons:

The Enduring Allure of the Silver Screen

Despite the advancements, the core magic of cinema—the ability to transport viewers to different worlds—remains unchanged since that first screening.

The Evolution of Film Length and Content

The following table shows how film length and content have evolved over the decades:

Here is a summary of the key figures involved in the creation and early popularization of cinema:

The Impact on Modern Storytelling

The techniques pioneered by the Lumière brothers continue to influence filmmaking today. Here's a comparison:

The Evolution of Film Technology

The following table highlights the evolution of film technology from the Lumière brothers' era to modern times: