1903 in film

Events

• Thomas Edison demolishes "America's First Movie Studio", the Black Maria.
• The three elder Warner Bros. begin in the exhibition business and open their first theater, the Cascade.
• Gaston Méliès, Georges' brother, opens a branch of Star Film in New York to defend its production's copyrights.
• Adolph Zukor and Marcus Loew partner with Mitchell Mark to expand his chain of movie theaters.
• William N. Selig's war film A Soldier's Dream is released. The film shows soldiers playing cards and music around a campfire. Scholars have speculated that the double-exposed image used to create one soldier's dream sequence may have been inspired by Méliès.

  Films released in 1903

• Alice in Wonderland, directed by Cecil Hepworth
• Apparitions, directed by George Melies
• Beelzebub's Daughters, directed by George Melies
• Capital Execution, directed by Peter Elfelt
• A Chess Dispute, directed by Robert W. Paul
• The Damnation of Faust, directed by George Melies
• A Daring Daylight Burglary, by Frank Mottershaw
• A Message from Mars, by Franklyn Barrett
• Desperate Poaching Affray, directed by William Haggar; considered important in film history for its cinematic technique.
• Diving Lucy, produced by Mitchell and Kenyon
• Electrocuting an Elephant, cinematography by Edwin S. Porter or Jacob Blair Smith
• The Enchanted Well, directed by George Melies
• Extraordinary Cab Accident, directed by Robert W. Paul
• , directed by Georges Melies
• Faust and Mephistopheles, directed by Alice Guy
• From Show Girl To Burlesque Queen, cinematography by A.E. Weed
• The Gay Shoe Clerk, directed by Edwin S. Porter
• The Georgetown Loop
• The Great Train Robbery, directed by Edwin S. Porter, starring Broncho Billy Anderson. Regarded as a milestone in film history for its innovative composite editing, camera movement, and cross cutting.
• Hiawatha, the Messiah of the Ojibway, directed by Joe Rosenthal, the first Canadian dramatic film
• The Infernal Cake-Walk, directed by George Melies
• The Infernal Cauldron, directed by Georges Melies
• The Inn Where No Man Rests, directed by Georges Melies
• Jack and the Beanstalk, produced by Lubin.
• Kingdom of the Fairies, directed by George Melies
• The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ , directed by Ferdinand Zecca; this is a proto-feature film, or many short-films that when combined together can be seen as one feature film. 18 of the short-films were made in 1902 and shown in 1903, while 10 more were added and shown in 1904. The final three were added and shown in 1905. Stencil hand painted film frames were done between 1904 and 1905 by Segundo de Chomón.
• Life of an American Fireman, directed by Edwin S. Porter. May be the first cross-cutting editing in cinema .
• The Magic Lantern, directed by Georges Méliès
• Mary Jane's Mishap, directed by George Albert Smith.
• Misfortune Never Comes Alone, directed by Georges Méliès
• Momijigari, directed by Tsunekichi Shibata.
• The Monster, directed by George Melies
• The Music Lover, directed by Georges Méliès.
• Old London Street Scenes
• The Oracle of Delphi, directed by George Melies
• Panorama of Beach and Cliff House, produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.
• Petticoat Lane
• Rip Van Winkle , directed by William K. L. Dickson.
• Runaway Match, directed by Alf Collins. Possibly the first car chase in the history of cinema.
• Sick Kitten, directed by George Albert Smith.
• Skyscrapers Of New York City, From The North River
• Snow White
• A Spiritualist Photographer directed by George Melies
• The Trick Box, directed by George Melies
• Uncle Tom's Cabin, directed by Edwin S. Porter
• What Happened in the Tunnel, directed by Edwin S. Porter
• The Witch's Revenge'' directed by George Melies

  Births

Deaths

• c. February 15 – Julie Verstraete-Lacquet, Flemish actress, dies at 69

  Debut