Francis Doublier
Directing
Biography
Francis Doublier was born on April 11, 1878 in Lyon, France. Francis was a director and cinematographer, known for Prince Napoléon (1896), Arroseur et arrosé (1896) and L.L. M.M. le Tsar et la Tsarine entrant dans l'église de l'Assomption [Moscou] (1896). Francis was married to Louise Dessenay. Francis died on April 3, 1948 in Englewood, New Jersey, USA.
Known For
No description available.
Espagne : courses de taureaux, II
Francis Doublier does bicycle tricks in the street.
Bicyclist
Shot in 1896 by a Lumière cameraman, this short actuality shows three horse-drawn carriages, escorted by liveried footmen and soldiers, arriving as part of the coronation festivities in Moscow. The passengers are identified as the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Eugénie. A brief but vivid glimpse of imperial pomp during the celebrations for Tsar Nicholas II’s coronation.
The Empress Dowager and the Grand Duchess Eugénie in a Carriage
Filmed during the coronation ceremonies of Nicholas II in Moscow in 1896, this short by Lumière operator Francis Doublier shows the imperial procession approaching the Cathedral of the Assumption in the Kremlin. As the crowd advances, a company of guards escorts the imperial dais while the Tsar and Tsarina make their way into the church. An early actuality offering rare moving-image documentation of a major royal ritual.
Tsar and Tsarina Entering the Church of the Assumption
Pseudo-documentary compiled by Lumière cameraman Francis Doublier in 1898: a stitched reel of unrelated actuality clips narrated as scenes from the Dreyfus case (trial, imprisonment, transport). Shown in Russia under producer Ivan Grunwald, it predated Méliès’s 1899 dramatic series and is cited as an early example of “reconstructed” or deceptive news film.
The Dreyfus Affair
This short Lumière actuality captures Prince Napoléon of Russia dancing with a stage showgirl, his chosen “dame.” A curious blend of aristocracy and popular entertainment, the film juxtaposes royal elegance with the theatrical flair of the dance hall, offering both spectacle and a touch of scandal for contemporary audiences.