The Prehistory of Cinema, a lecture by Marc Azéma

On 20 November 2025, Villa Arson will host a lecture by Marc Azéma, Doctor of Archaeology and documentary filmmaker, entitled The Prehistory of Cinema: The Origins of Graphic Narrative and Cinematography.

Since the dawn of time, humans have been “making movies”… Long before Edison and the Lumière brothers, cave walls and objects decorated by Palaeolithic artists bear witness to the development of graphic, technical and narrative processes characteristic
of the beginnings of graphic storytelling and a true “prehistory of cinema”. To illustrate his point, Marc Azéma invites you to accompany him through space and time, on a journey to the origins of art…

Marc Azéma

Born on 9 March 1967, Marc Azéma is an archaeological researcher specialising in the study of prehistoric art and a member of the Chauvet scientific team (2001–2017). He is also a documentary film director specialising in new imaging technologies (3D, virtual reconstructions of archaeological remains, animations, etc.). He is also director of the RAN (Rencontres archéologiques de la Narbonnaise).

Combining these two specialities, he traces the history of cinema back to the Palaeolithic era by showing animations created by the frequent juxtaposition and superimposition of figures in cave art and prehistoric decorated objects.

This idea is presented in films that have received numerous awards.

Technical details

Thursday, 20 November, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Free admission

Grand Amphitheatre of Villa Arson

Address: Villa Arson, 20 Av. Stephen Liegeard, 06100 Nice