The Lumière brothers, Auguste and Louis, were French inventors and artists who were involved in the early development of the film industry. They are usually mentioned together rather than individually because they always worked together. However, some people suggest that it was Louis who possessed the real talent that led to their tremendous successes.

Antoine Lumière, the father of Auguste and Louis, was a successful photographer. He and Louis invented a photographic plate that became a commercial success. The family employed more than three hundred workers in their factory to create these photographic products. With the invention of Thomas Edison's Kinetoscope (which used George Eastman's new flexible film), however, Antoine was concerned that the family's invention was going to become obsolete.

After viewing a Kinetoscope, which displayed the...