The train is a major innovation of 19th century industrialisation that brought Western societies into modernity. Many film pioneers have been inspired by moving and stationary trains. From the birth of cinema, the train has been a prominent subject of interest.

With the birth of cinema, the first short film about the train appeared: L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de la Ciotat (1895), shot by the Lumière brothers and presented to the frightened public on 28 December 1895. The train will be present in all the genres of silent cinema: the science fiction film Le Voyage à travers l'impossible by Georges Méliès, the crime film The Great Train Robbery by Edwin S. Porter, the epic drama La Roue by Abel Gance, the western The Iron Horse by John Ford and the slapstick comedy The General by Buster Keaton.

Programme
Between 01 12 2021 and 30 12 2021, CINEMATEK will screen no less than 30 films. You can find the complete programme here.

Conference 'De trein rijdt door de stille film'/'Le train travers le cinéma muet'
03 12 2021 (NL)
10 12 2021 (FR) (cancelled)
19:00

This lecture by Wouter Hessels in the context of the EUROPALIA TRAINS & TRACKS festival focuses on the diverse appearance of trains in silent films.