The Legend of Louis Le Prince

Louis Le Prince

The story behind this year's Film Festival cover image and trailer

Search the Internet Movie Database for the earliest films ever made and you will get as far back as 1888, when only two titles are listed. Both the briefest of films, one of a family scene in a garden, the other of traffic crossing a bridge, you may be surprised that they are the first recorded examples of cinema, when the work of the Lumière Brothers and Edison has for so long been associated with the medium's conception. Then you will be even more surprised that both were shot in Leeds, by unsung inventor Louis le Prince, at a house in the Roundhay district and on a bridge in the city centre. It is no surprise that le Prince's work has been forgotten, as the French-born pioneer mysteriously disappeared soon after 1888 and on the eve of the first public demonstration of the result of years of toil in his Leeds workshop – his pursuit of trademarks over, the dominance and influence of Edison unstoppable. His solo achievement is not just an unchallenged fact on Imdb, but leading researchers of the moving image have confirmed le Prince and Leeds were there first. Marking this historic union, the 2005 Film Festival trailer is an animated musical short inspired by the le Prince story and created by Cory McAbee and The Billy Nayer Show, stars of the 2004 Film Festival favourite The American Astronaut. While this year's cover image, photographed by Dave Phillips, uses a replica of le Prince's camera in the truly monumental setting of Leeds Bridge. The Fanomenon image, by Leeds artist Lisa Wood, has a unique take on the mystery.

Thanks to Armley Mills Industrial Museum for permission to photograph Le Prince's camera replica.