The Lumière brothers, French pioneers in cinematography, ventured into Ottoman Palestine in the late 19th century, capturing one of the earliest motion pictures known as "Train Station in Jerusalem" (1896). This piece, with its breathtaking, panoramic views, remains as mesmerizing to today's audience as it was to its initial European viewers.
In 1894, Auguste and Louis Lumière, inventors of the Cinématographe—a revolutionary device that marked the dawn of motion picture filming—sent a cameraman to Palestine, culminating in a vivid portrayal of the region's inhabitants two years later. These precious films, however, vanished for over a century until Lobster Films, a film restoration company in Paris, rediscovered them in 2007. Found in an antique shop, ninety-three film reels were uncovered, all remarkably well-preserved. These films, depicting the daily lives of Palestinians, are now accessible on Lobster Films' website (www.lobsterfilms.com), offering a unique window into the past.
At the time of filming in 1897, Palestine was a part of the sprawling Ottoman Empire, home to around half a million people, with Jerusalem's population accounting for half of this figure. The period also saw the rise of the Zionist Movement, initiated by Theodor Herzl in 1890, advocating for Jewish return to Palestine and the establishment of a self-governing state.
The Lumière brothers, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas and Louis Jean, are recognized as the first filmmakers in history. Their innovation, the cinematograph, enabled group viewings and was a significant leap from Edison's individual "peepshow" kinetoscope. Their first film, "Sortie de l'usine Lumière de Lyon," shot in 1894, is acknowledged as the first real motion picture. Intriguingly, their surname, "Lumière," means "light" in French, symbolizing their contribution to the illumination of the cinematic path.
The 1896 footage, meticulously preserved and shared by Lobster Films, documents the coexistence of Palestinians of different faiths—Christians, Jews, and Muslims—living and praying together. This early cinematic record provides a rare glimpse into the social fabric of Palestine, similar to that of Cairo, Damascus, or Beirut, before the profound changes of the 20th century.
By the end of the 19th century, Jerusalem was a melting pot of religions and cultures. Jews constituted half of Jerusalem's population but less than 5% in the country as a whole. Christians made up 10%, and Muslims, the majority, accounted for 85% of the population. This demographic landscape showcases a diverse society, unified under the Ottoman Empire's rule, without the modern concept of national borders, yet rich in its cultural and religious plurality.
The retrieval of this film in Paris by Lobster Films, as noted by Jalal Abukhater of the Electronic Intifada in February 2007, not only highlights the pioneering spirit of the Lumière brothers but also serves as a critical historical document. It offers insight into the demographic makeup of Palestine before the establishment of Israel, reflecting a time when diverse communities shared a common space, contributing to the rich tapestry of the region's history.
