The Beginning of the Cinema in Bulgaria (About the First Film Shows in Bulgaria and about the Earliest Camerawork) Cover Image
  • Price 4.50 €

Началото на киното у нас (За първите кинопрожекции в България, а и за най-ранните киноснимки)
The Beginning of the Cinema in Bulgaria (About the First Film Shows in Bulgaria and about the Earliest Camerawork)

Author(s): Petar Kardjilov
Subject(s): History
Published by: Асоциация Клио
Keywords: cinema history, early cinema, first film shows, first cinemawork, Bulgaria, Sofia, Melinson, Edison, film repertoire, cinema advertising

Summary/Abstract: In October 1960 “Narodna kultura” weekly released the article “The Beginning of the Cinema in Bulgaria” by Aleksandar Aleksandrov. Since then – more than a half century already – it’s been known that the earliest cinematography show in Bulgaria took place in city of Ruse, in February 1897 (the specific date had anyway not been subsequently clarified). The material presented here, changes sensationally the notions about “XIX century’s Miracle” first steps in our country. According to the content of the three announcements in Sofia periodicals from December 1896, which the author discovered, it turns out that on December 8th 1896, in Hotel Macedonia’s Hall, a professor called Melinson had already started showing movies, offering several sessions per day. This probably started at least a day or two earlier – such an admission shifts with a day or two the date of the first cinema show in Sofia. On December 11th the foreigner made in “Hotel Bulgaria café” a “big performance” which ended up with “cinematograph or live photography” demonstration. The most surprising thing is that amongst the several “nice pictures out of life” there was a newsreel showing Varna port! Until now it was known that the first cinema work in our country had been done in the autumn of 1903. It turns out, however, that seven years back somebody had revolved in our country the starting handle of the camera, leaving a celluloid trace! However there is no any evidence about this in the catalogs of the companies filming at that time. Obviously the research in this area should continue…

  • Issue Year: 2013
  • Issue No: 1-2
  • Page Range: 210-220
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Bulgarian