Pope Leo XIII Being Seated Bestowing Blessing (1898)
★★½ — Pope Leo XIII Being Seated Bestowing Blessing (1898)
Shot in 1898 on the grounds of the Vatican, this brief actuality is widely regarded as the first filmed footage of a reigning Pope, and quite possibly one of the earliest surviving films of any named historical figure of that stature. William K.L. Dickson, who had previously developed the Kinetoscope alongside Thomas Edison before breaking away to work with the Biograph Company, travelled to Rome specifically to capture Leo XIII on film. The Pope was then in his late eighties, having held the papacy since 1878, which makes the footage all the more remarkable as a historical document. Produced under the Lumière banner, it sits firmly within the actuality tradition of early cinema, a period when simply recording a recognisable person or place was considered entertainment enough.
A-Z World Movie Tour Vatican City https://youtu.be/3IVQ-1t92hA?si=w8pWiZ2eJKWXhIHB Pope Leo XIII became Pope around 10 years before moving pictures were even invented (around 1888) and was born in 1810. This makes Pope Leo XIII arguably the earliest person ever caught on film. All this shows, is the pope sitting around and waving. It's not even a film really. However, we do what we gotta do for the green map.
Rating: ★★½ | Year: 1898 | Watched: 2025-09-15
Where to watch (UK)
Physical: Amazon UK
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