World’s first color film dates back to 1902

GlobalPost

A movie of three children at a table with a fishbowl is being called one of the most important discoveries in film history. That's because it may be the "earliest natural color film in the world.

The film had collected dust in the Natural Media Museum in Bradford for 110 years until its recent discovery. 

Paul Goodman of the National Media Museum in Bradford told the Guardian, "We believe this will literally rewrite film history. I don't think it is an overstatement. These are the world's first colour moving images."

The film disproves the notion that "80% of films between the 1890s and 1920s were colored deliberately," Bryony Dixon of the British Film Institute told the BBC.

The director of this new historical treasure was Edward Turner. He died in 1903, aged 29.

Watch his film here.

Help keep The World going strong!

The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.

Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.