Nine years ago, Thierry Frémaux (guest of the festival in 2001) made the indisputably fascinating documentary Lumière! about the short films of the pioneers of cinema. Frémaux was a natural choice for the task, as he is not only the artistic director of the Cannes Film Festival, but also the head of Institut Lumière in Lyon, the hometown of Louis and Auguste. His latest, Lumière, The Adventure Continues, is an equally inspired endeavour in the same vein as its predecessor.
Again, we are presented with over a hundred films in one sitting. Frémaux analyses their significance in film history in his passionate style: how the brothers were pioneers in other fields besides film technology (along with their competitor Thomas Edison) and how their 50-second film reels showcase the roots of cinematic art.
This is further evidenced by the film’s unmissable final scenario, featuring both Francis Ford Coppola (guest of the festival in 2002) and another Lyonnais, Bertrand Tavernier (guest of the festival in 1986), accompanied by the iconic Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory in Lyon.
The Lumières’ contemporary Gabriel Fauré’s wistful melodies underscore this nuanced portrait of the turning of a century in France and elsewhere. How fortunate also that the quality of digitally restored films from almost 130 years ago is still this enchanting to watch.
Timo Malmi