The Kennington Bioscope is a regular cinema event featuring live accompaniment to silent films that takes place at the Cinema Museum.

Film editor Christopher Bird presents an evening celebrating the history of the first successful amateur film format, which turns 100 years old in December.

Many lost films, including many Vitagraph features, owe their existence to their 9.5mm home movie editions. A whole generation of film enthusiasts, from Ken Russell to David Lean, began with 9.5mm.

The evening will include a demonstration of a working Pathé Baby projector, and a range of films, projected on vintage equipment. Titles will include A Trip to the Pathé Factory, an extract from Napoleon (1927), a 9.5mm stencil colour film, a lost Harold Lloyd film, a lost scene from The Chess Player (1927), and even a lost Ivor Novello film, The Gallant Hussar (1928)!

The final film will be the rare The Wonderful Lie of Nina Petrovna (1929) starring Brigitte Helm, one of the last of the great German silent films.

Piano accompaniment for The Wonderful Lie of Nina Petrovna will be performed by Cyrus Garbysch, Colin Sell will play for The Gallant Hussar, and Colin and John Sweeney will accompany the films in the first half of the show.

Silent film with intertitles which may be suitable for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Tickets & Pricing

£7. Seats are limited, so please arrive early or request an invitation using the email kenbioscope@gmail.com.