The first film screening in Türkiye took place in İzmir on 10 December 1896, followed shortly afterwards by the first public screening in Istanbul, at the Sponeck Beer Hall in Galatasaray, on 12 December. At Sinematek/Sinema Evi, we celebrate this first encounter with cinema together through a selection made up largely of films shown that day. We warmly thank the Cinémathèque française, the Institut Lumière and FPA Classics for their collaboration in preparing this celebration.
The screening will begin with an introduction and commentary by Jak Şalom, the first member of the Turkish Cinematheque Association (1965–1980) and a driving force behind the establishment of Sinematek/Sinema Evi. Afterwards, Jak Şalom and Özde Çeliktemel will take part in a discussion entitled “The First Film Screenings in Türkiye”.
Here’s to 130 years of cinema!
* Total running time: 20 minutes.
** Admission is free. As seating is limited, please arrive 15 minutes before the event.
The following films will be screened in this order:
Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory in Lyon (La Sortie de l’usine Lumière à Lyon), Lumière, 46 sec., 1895
Arrival of a Train at Perrache (Arrivée d’un train à Perrache), Lumière Brothers, 40 sec., 1896
Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat), Lumière Brothers, 60 sec., 1896
Place de l’Opéra, Lumière Brothers, 60 sec., 1896
Washerwomen on the River (Laveuses sur la rivière), Lumière Brothers, 1896
The Sea / Bathing in the Sea (La Mer / Baignade en mer), Lumière Brothers, 30 sec., 1895
The Bicycle Lesson (La Leçon de bicyclette), Lumière Brothers, 1896
Transforming Hats (Chapeaux à transformations), Lumière Brothers, 46 sec., 1896
The Gardener and the Little Rascal (Le Jardinier et le Petit Espiègle, also known as Arroseur et Arrosé), Lumière Brothers, 1896
A Game of Cards (Une partie de cartes), Georges Méliès, 67 sec., 1896
Post No Bills (Défense d’afficher), Georges Méliès, 74 sec., 1896
A Terrible Night (Une nuit terrible), Georges Méliès, 1 min. 53 sec., 1896
The Vanishing Lady (Escamotage d’une dame chez Robert-Houdin), Georges Méliès, 80 sec., 1896
The Nightmare (Le Cauchemar), Georges Méliès, 69 sec., 1896
The House of the Devil (Le Manoir du diable), Georges Méliès, 3 min. 8 sec., 1896