Milano Films

The classic tale of Dante's journey through hell, loosely adapted from the Divine Comedy and inspired by the illustrations of Gustav Doré. This historically important film stands as the first feature from Italy and the oldest fully-surviving feature in the world, and boasts beautiful sets and special effects that stand above other cinema of the era.

The story begins with a scientist creating a device shaped like a man that can be remote-controlled by a machine. The mechanical man possess super-human speed and strength. The scientist is killed however by a gang of criminals, led by a woman named Mado, who wish to get the instructions for building the mechanical man. The criminals are captured before they are able to get them and are brought to trial and condemned. Mado manages to escape and kidnaps the scientist's niece whom she forces to give her the instructions which she uses to build a mechanical man.

From a window in Fabiola's house, Sebastian watches the Christians being taken to their cells, and as he listens to the shrieks and curses of the multitude his heart is stirred with pity. Later Sebastian is denounced to the Emperor as a Christian, and he is condemned to die by the swords of the Numidian guards. The news is brought to Fabiola, who sends one of her slaves to the chief of the Numidians. Heis brought to her house, and rich bribes are offered to him not to fulfil the Emperor's command. Sebastian is taken to the place of execution, and the chief commands his followers to shoot with their arrows, but not to kill. Dangerously wounded, Sebastian is carried to Fabiola's house, where she tenderly nurses him back to health. But Sebastian, partially recovered, sets out to meet the Emperor, and reproaches him for his cruelty towards the Christians.

The young Augusto Genina directs this matrimonial comedy with verve, capturing the right tone and rythms. The Count and Countess Valmonte are a likeable and close-knit couple, but he spends too many evenings at his club, at least as far as she is concerned. Is there something behind these absences?

The documentary was entirely filmed in the province of Burgos, containing monuments and architecture considered emblematic of Spanish heritage. Color was added to the film at a later date, by hand. Burgos is a fine example of the timeless beauty of hand-stenciled film, as well as sound actuality filmmaking by two cinematic pioneers.

Framed by scenes of Shakespeare himself telling the story to his friends, this is a three-reel adaptation of the Bard of Avon's magical late-period romance about Leontes, a jealous king who banishes his daughter out of fear that she might not be his child.

[LIGURIA] (GB: The Italian Shores in the Mediterranean) is a 1913 Milano-Films production featuring four tinted and toned views of Riviera di Levante towns. “Portofino” is a single sea-shot of the town. “San Fruttuoso” shows the Abbey and Doria Tower, filmed from a boat, followed by closer views of the cove, vessels, and Castello di Paraggi. “Rapallo” presents a brief shot of its 16th-century seaside castle, ending with a man and wheelbarrow at the frame’s edge. “Santa Margherita” features static shots from inside coastal grottos. The film was released in the UK on 10 July 1913 with English intertitles. A 35mm print (4'16", 71m, 16fps) from La Cineteca del Friuli, Gemona was screened at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival on 4th October 2025.

Travel film about Florence which includes: the cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore or Duomo) with the tower (Torre di Giotto or Campanile) and the dome (Brunelleschi), Piazza and Palazzo della Signoria.

Short comedy about Cocciutelli (Krause) who is pressured by his uncle to look for a job.

Monthus gets a job as a billposter, but every time he tries to put one up, some one stops him. A bicyclist runs into him, or a cop chases him off, or some other disaster, usually causing him to take a prat fall.