Albert Samama-Chikli

In 1897 Albert Samama Chikly, a Tunisian Jew, together with a photographer named Soler, organised the first screenings of Lumière films in a Tunis shop. The original twelve minute programme of films, bolstered by some magic lantern views, included such familiar titles as La Sortie de l'Usines and L'Arrivée d'un Train . In common with the introduction of film in many non-Western countries, Tunisia was offered its first films from a businessman who also introduced other modern novelties; in Chikly's case, the bicycle, radio and X-rays. Unusually, Chikly was to persevere in his film interests. He was active as an actuality filmmaker in Tunisia and France, succeeding in selling films to companies such as Urban, Pathé abd Gaumont. He lovingly documented Tunisian culture, filmed over Tunis from a balloon in 1908, experimented with underwater cinematography in a wooden submarine, and exhibited films at his Cinémato-Chikli.