29th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival

24. 10.–2. 11. 2025
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Panorama from Top of a Moving Train
Panorama from Top of a Moving Train

Panorama from Top of a Moving Train

Georges Méliès / France / 1898 / Czech Premiere / 1 min.


synopsis

This highly acclaimed film is proof that Georges Méliès did indeed also shoot outdoors and is a rather pioneering work for its time. The camera is placed on the top of a moving train, capturing the passing landscape and “ducking” under bridges as we witness one of the first journeys on film, although the camera itself doesn’t move. Interestingly, this film is also listed in the Star Film catalogue as a newsreel.

biography

Georges Méliès (1861-1938) is one of the first independent film directors whose work crystalised the early film genres. He worked on fantasy scenes, adaptations of literary works, fairy tales, as well as socio-critical and political films. His documentary filmmaking is less well known, as a lot of it has not been preserved.

more about film

director: Georges Méliès

Film at festival

premiere type:Czech Premiere
festival edition:2023
section:The Méliès Brothers' Documentary Film
language:No Dialogue
subtitles:No Subtitle

Info

director:Georges Méliès
original title:Panorama pris d'un train en marche
country:France
year:1898
running time:1 min.

Festival partners

Ministerstvo kultury
Fond kinematografie
Město Jihlava
Kraj Vysočina
Creative Europe Media
GEMO
Česká televize
Český rozhlas
Aktuálně.cz
Respekt
Dafilms

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