Cinema Paradiso: The Birth of Cinemas in Medan

The first motion film show in Medan was by Louis Talbot with his Scenimatographe in 1897, after he had completed his tour of Java and the Straits. He showed his motion pictures at the Witte Sociëteit.

The Deli Courant of November 17, 1897:
“Mr. L. Talbot, one who has made a name for himself in the field of photochemical printing and the use of chromic acid salts, travels to our archipelago with a device called a scènimatograaf that renders images, just like a mirror would. These images are reproduced by artificial light and thus exhibit what photography has been able to look at through an unbroken row of rapidly successive shots of life. He will allow the public to judge this invention at 7 this evening at the White Society, and judging by what the Java magazines as well as those of the Straits testify to it, we can safely recommend this opportunity to see something new. The entrance is f 1.50 and for children f 1.0 ”.

A few years later, a tent on the Esplanade, in the city centre ground, was setup for Abdulally Esoofally’s travelling cinema in October 1901.

Other companies followed this success. In 1906, the scene was depicted as:

The Esplanade lane, which runs parallel to the railroad, has been quite a busy sight in recent days, as soon as it got dark. The tent in front of the cinema and three beautiful arc lamps illuminate the entire avenue as if it were day.

On the side of the avenue are countless Chinese food and drink…