Emile Reynaud

A quiet, rueful portrait of invention and ruin, watching a fragile dream break apart one strip at a time.

Directed by

Pierre Levie

Genres

Documentary, Drama

Starring

Michael Lonsdale, Jean-Marc Turine, Benjamin Erlish

Overview

The 8th short film as part of the Magica series dealing with pre-cinema. Fictionalised documentary about Emile Reynau who invented the praxinoscope and its system of central mirrors. He then projects his paper strips into the projection praxinoscope before creating the Théâtre Optique, presented at the Musée Grévin. The perforated strips are fragile and often break. The show is cancelled. Reynaud tries to apply photography to his praxinoscope, but without success. Desperate and ruined, he throws his strips into the Seine. Only two survived.

How it feels

Melancholic, earnest and bleak. Measured and needs your attention.

About

Art, obsession, ambition, grief

Content

No violence, gore, sexual content or swearing.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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