The Lost Films of Louis Le Prince

The lecture will take place in the exciting new cinema space of Leeds School of Arts at Leeds Beckett University.

In the years 1888-89, Louis Le Prince shot at least six continuous motion picture sequences in the city of Leeds, of which only a few seconds of three remain. Researcher, Irfan Shah, tells the story of the lost films of Le Prince and shows how Leeds itself was not merely a location for them but an essential ingredient of the inventor's work.

The lost films of Le Prince is a detective story that will take us through the streets, archives and museums of Le Prince's adopted home, to reveal the exact sites of the first films made, and the secret behind the first film ever to be successfully projected back onto a screen.

There will be the opportunity to ask questions and the session will be introduced by Professor Robert Shail, Director of Research at Leeds School of Arts.

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/louis-le-prince

Speaker bio

Irfan Shah is a local historian based in Leeds who has spent many years investigating the career of cinema pioneer Louis Le Prince alongside the work of other industrial innovators during a period in the late 19th century when Leeds was a centre for invention. Irfan has given many public talks on this period and has accumulated huge knowledge which he is always keen to share.

Host or Publisher Leeds Beckett University