Chicago Police Parade

synopsis

Chicago police officers march in tight formation past a stationary camera. Their uniforms and measured steps transform a public institution into an image of discipline and order. The film documents a particular parade while also revealing how authority is publicly staged in the modern city.

biography

Alexandre Promio (1868–1926) was one of the Lumière company’s foremost cinematographers. From 1896 onwards, he travelled with the Cinématographe across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. His films expanded early cinema’s horizons through travelogue perspectives, bustling urban scenes and a camera moving through space.

film details

director:

Alexandre Promio