Siegmund Lubin was an immigrant optician, and in 1897, he began experimenting with a new photographic technology called Life Motion Pictures. With a crude camera that he built, Lubin outraged his neighbors by filming circus, vaudeville and burlesque acts in his backyard on North 15th Street. He went on to create one of the world’s largest and most successful film production, distribution and exhibition enterprises, making Philly a major hub for film production in the first decade of the twentieth century. Tonight’s Cinedelphia Film Festival special event celebrates Siegmund Lubin’s birthday with his biographer Joseph P. Eckhardt, who will be giving a presentation on the local film pioneer’s career with 16mm films projected by Secret Cinema, and live original scores from local musicians Norwegian Arms’ Keith Birthday (a.k.a. Brendan Mulvihill), Birdie Busch/Carl Cheeseman, Jesse Kudler (Philadelphia Sound Arms), and Monique Canniere (Divine Hand Ensemble). It will surely be a rare journey into Philadelphia’s past alongside artists helping to build the future of our local music community. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 7pm, $10, All Ages (Keith Birthday Photo by Brandee Nichols; Birdie Busch/Carl Cheeseman Photo by George Miller III) – H.M. Kauffman
