The Times (28/Sep/1926) - International Film Congress

(c) The Times (28/Sep/1926)

INTERNATIONAL FILM CONGRESS

INAUGURAL MEETING IN PARIS

The first International Film Congress is being held this week in Paris. It has been organized under the auspices of the International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation, which is a Department of the League of Nations, and the Director of the Institute, M. Julien Luchaire, is one of the leading spirits. The aims laid down for the Congress are to formulate the problems of international organization which present themselves in regard to the motion picture and to study them scientifically with a view to a future solution.

The motion picture is to be studied in all its aspects, commercial, educational, and artistic. For this purpose associations of teachers, authors, artists, &c., in all countries have been invited to send representatives, besides Governments and the film-producing and film-distributing industries. Among the British representatives are several members of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association, in-cluding its vice-president, Mr. E. Hewitson, Sir Harry Brittain, M.P., representing the Faculty of Arts, Mr. Angus MacPhail (Film Society), and Mr. Gordon Bagnall (League of Nations Union). The British Government, unlike most other Governments, is not officially represented.

The subject represents a vast field for discussion, and one which has so far not been approached internationally. It will be interesting to see in what direction the work of the congress develops in the course of the week's meetings. The 450 delegates met for the first time this morning and appointed eight committees to deal with the different aspects of the subject. The conclusions arrived at by the committees will be presented at a general meeting of the Congress to be held next Saturday. This afternoon the delegates were received at the Elysée by President Doumergue, and an inaugural meeting took place afterwards at the Sorbonne, at which the Presideut was present and at which the Government was represented by M. Queuille, the Minister of Agriculture.