Albert Kirchner French photographer and director Country: France

1. Biography of Albert Kirchner
2. Early Career and Collaborations
3. Religious and Pornographic Films
4. Later Ventures and Controversies
5. Connection to Lear and Co.

Biography of Albert Kirchner

Albert Kirchner was a French photographer and director who was known for his contributions to the early film industry. He registered three patents for the 'Biographe francais Léar' film camera between 1897 and 1898. Kirchner was responsible for the production of these cameras in a company that he founded with his college colleagues. He also produced and released two versions of the 'Biographe' film, one on 35mm film and the other on 60mm film.

Early Career and Collaborations

In 1897, Kirchner joined forces with a pedagogical theorist and a holy father named Bazile and filmed a dozen short comedic films during the summer. That same year, Kirchner organized film screenings in various locations, including the Oller Museum and the Frontin café in Paris. At that time, the collaboration between a former pornographic filmmaker and a priest did not seem strange, as the French Catholic Church was using the emerging cinematography to promote its goals.

Religious and Pornographic Films

In collaboration with Michel Coissac, who later became a renowned film historian, Kirchner filmed 'Passion du Christ' (The Passion of Christ), a biblical story consisting of twelve scenes, in Paris in 1897. This was the first Parisian film based on a biblical story. 'The Passion of Christ' was shown in many regions and influenced contemporary filmmakers, many of whom also explored the story of Jesus Christ in their works. However, some members of the audience were dissatisfied with Kirchner's portrayal of the Messiah. The film was produced on behalf of the Roman Catholic publishing company 'La Bonne Presse'.

Later Ventures and Controversies

In 1898, Kirchner opened the 'Olympia Theatre' studio in the basement, where he continued to make films. However, in the same year, he sold all his negatives to the French film company 'Gaumont'. His studio was closed, and shortly after, Albert passed away. The exact date of Kirchner's birth and death is not found in historical documents.

Connection to Lear and Co.

Stephen Bottomore, a researcher at the British Film Institute, speculated in his scholarly reference book 'Who's Who of Victorian Cinema: A Worldwide Survey' that Albert Kirchner was involved in the activities of the 'Lear and Co.' company, which operated in Cairo, Egypt. The company faced persecution for exporting pornographic photographs to Europe in 1901.