Looking Through the Lumière Lens

It was probably in Cinema 101 that you watched the very first film – The Arrival of a Train, which features a train arriving (no surprises there) — but it’s the Lumière brothers who were responsible for this very inception of cinema. So, to pay a tribute to them, Institute Lumière (in association with the luxury brand Chopard) has organised an exhibition titled Lumière! Le cinéma inventé at the Grand Palais, Paris. They have perfectly timed this with the 120th anniversary of the first film screening shown to a paying audience.

What you should know:

The Grand Palais, which was built for the screening of films, way back in the 1900s, has reconstructed the screening room, this time with a contemporary twist. The rooms are equipped with iPads, and you can catch any of the 1,500 movies by the Lumière brothers on these. The experience of watching them in the captivating set-up of this theatre is unparalleled. So, if you are in Paris any time soon, be sure to add this to your to-do list.

To make your trip a little easier, we’ve handpicked four note-worthy films you should watch.

1. The Sprinkler Sprinkled If rib-tickling humour is your thing, then you mustn’t miss out on the world’s first comedy film.

2. The Arrival of a Train One of the most talked about films by the brothers, you should watch it because…well, it was the first!

3. Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory in Lyon This elementary film of workers returning home from a factory will take you back to the basics.

4. The Sea Another unpretentious piece by the brothers which documents the simplest aspects of life in an enchanting manner.

Lumière ! Le cinéma inventé is being showcased at the Grand Palais in Paris till June 14, 2015