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The History of Cinema: 1928

Australia - Japan

Following a report by the Royal Commission into monopoly practices in the Australian Film Industry, a clause in distribution/exhibition contracts allows a 5% rejection of US films in favour of Australian product. [ADD]

Sound documentary films are screened in Vienna’s Urania Theatre. [ADD]

– The ‘Soviet Belarus’ film studio is founded in Leningrad.   It will eventually evolve into Belarusfilm in Minsk. [ADD]

His Destiny, directed by and starring former Western star Neal Hart is released.   It becomes Canada’s first sound feature by virtue of the fact that synchronised sound was added for US distribution of a version shortened by 1,000 feet.   Its title was changed to North of ’49 in the States.  [ADD]

– Huo shao hong lian si (Burning of the Red Lotus Temple) is released.  It features a technique which uses cartoons for creating special effects for sword-fighting scenes, and is a huge success, spawning a series of 18 films (which were allegedly adapted from an original running time for the first movie of 27 hours.) [ADD]

– Cine Colombia acquires the Di Domenico Brothers production and distribution companies. [ADD]

Czechoslovakia

Mountain Village, Miroslav Josef Krnansky’s adaptation of Bozana Nemcova’s classic Czech novel is released. [ADD]

Axel Peterson and Arnold Poulsen demonstrate their new sound on film system at the Grand Theatre in Copenhagen. [ADD]

Nikoloz Shengelaya’s Eliso, a study of the oppression of Muslim Georgians by Russian Cossacks, is released. [ADD]

Fritz Lang’s Spione (Spies), starring Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Gerda Maurus and Willy Fritsch, is released. [ADD]

Carl Froelich’s Zuflucht (The Refuge), starring Henny Porten is released. [ADD]

William Dieterle’s Geschlecht in Fesseln - Die Sexualnot der Gefangenen (Sex in Chains) explores the subject of homosexual relationships in prison. [ADD]

UFA’s 1,791-seat Universum cinema, equipped with Oskalyd organs, opens in Berlin. [ADD]

A fire in a UFA laboratory destroys a number of films, amongst them prints of Carl Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc. [ADD]

– Two sound film companies are founded in this year: Ton-Bild Syndikat, owner of the Tri-Ergon patents, has only a minority German stake, with Swiss and Dutch venture capitalists owning the major shares.   The second company, Klangfilm, is backed by AEG and Siemens. [ADD]

– The country’s first feature-length film, Limani ton dakryon (The Port of Tears), directed by Dimitrios Gaziadis, is made. [ADD]

– Internationale Tentoonstellung op Filmgebied, an international film exhibition held in The Hague, features participation from the Soviets for the first time since the revolution. [ADD]

– Only one film is produced in Hungary in 1928. [ADD]

– The Hunnia Film Studio Company is established. [ADD]

Vigathakumaran, the first Malayalam film premieres in Trivandrum.   The film was not a success, and its director, J. C. Daniel, never made another. [ADD]

In Rome, statutes for the first International Educational Cinematographic Institute (IECI) are drawn up. [ADD]

The Council of the League of Nations ratify the statutes of the IECI.   Italy will finance the statutes to the tune of 600,00 lire per year. [ADD]

At the opening of the IECI by King Victor Emmanuel, its director Luciano de Feo declares “We hope… to secure… an effective system of co-operation with the great cinema industry in researches designed to bring about a constant improvement in the type of film produced.” [ADD]

Journalist Alessandro Blassetti forms Augustus, a production cooperative, in Rome and begins filming his first film, Sole. [ADD]

Other Key Films of 1928

Carry On, Sergeant (Bruce Bairnsfather) [ADD]

Garras de oro [ADD]

Vormittagspuk (Hans Richter) [ADD]

Astern [ADD]

De Brug (Joris Ivens) [ADD]