British cinema was born in a hall on Regent Street in central London in 1896 - when the Lumiere brothers put on the first public show of moving pictures in the UK.
The space - now part of the University of Westminster - could be about to be restored to its original glory, thanks to a million pound donation from a Saudi billionaire.
Vice Chancellor of the University of Westminster, Professor Geoffrey Petts, explains how they want to recapture the atmosphere of cinema's early days.
Some images courtesy University of Westminster, PA and Getty Images. Music courtesy KPM Music. Slideshow production by Paul Kerley and Angus Crawford. Publication date 21 October 2009.
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