See also: 1894 in film, other events of 1895, 1896 in film, list of 'years in film'.

Events

  • March 22 - First display of motion pictures by Auguste and Louis Lumière (private screening).
  • Gaumont Pictures founded by the engineer-turned-inventor, Léon Gaumont.
  • In France, brothers named Auguste and Louis Lumière, designed and built a lightweight, hand-held motion picture camera called the Cinématographe. The Lumière brothers discovered that their machine could also be used to project images onto a large screen. The Lumière brothers created several short films at this time that are considered to be pivotal in the history of motion pictures.
  • September or October - C. Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat demonstrate their Phantoscope, a motion picture projector, in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • November - In Germany, Emil and Max Skladanowsky develop their own film projector.
  • December 28 - The Lumiere brothers have their first paying audience at the Grand Cafe Boulevard des Capucines -- this date is sometimes considered the debut of the motion picture as an entertainment medium.

Births