Biography
Peter Elfelt (1 January 1866 – 18 February 1931) was a Danish photographer and film director known as the first movie pioneer in Denmark when he began making documentary films in 1897. Peter Elfelt was born Peter Lars Petersen in Denmark on 1 January 1866. (He changed his name to Elfelt when he began making films.) He apprenticed in photography in Hillerød in 1893 with the photographer Carl Rathsack. He also studied with the camera builder Jens Poul Andersen. In 1893, Elfelt opened his own atelier in Copenhagen with his two brothers as his assistants. As his photographic skills became appreciated, his business flourished and by 1901 Elfelt was named "Kongelige Hoffotograf" (Royal Court Photographer).During a trip to Paris in 1896, Elfelt obtained a set of detailed Cinematographe plans from the French inventor Jules Carpentier. He had a film camera constructed by Jens Poul Andersen. In the beginning of 1897, he shot the first Danish film – a one-minute sequence called Driving with Greenland Dogs (Danish: Kørsel med grønlandske hunde). During the following 15 years, he made short nature films and newsreels about the Danish royal family. Elfelt shot almost 200 short films in all.
In 1903 Elfelt filmed his only drama. The short film, titled Henrettelsen (Capital Execution), was the first fiction film made in Denmark. Based upon the actual execution of a French woman who murdered her two children, it starred the singer Francesca Nathansen and was filmed in the arcade of the Christiansborg Castle. There is some doubt whether the film was ever shown in public. When Elfelt was asked in 1926 if he had ever filmed a drama, he remembered being reluctant about this film. For one to think of showing this murder in living pictures – a horrible idea. I was absolutely not taken by it.
Elfelt also shot the first advertising film. There is a 1904 example that advertises bock beer for the Svendborg Brewery. Elfelt opened the "København Kinoptikon" movie theater in 1901. Although Elfelt was Denmark's first pioneer of filmmaking, he considered film as secondary to his work as a photographer. Elfelt died on 18 February 1931.
Filmography
all 60
Movies 60
Director 59
Producer 1
Lindstrøm's Play (1912)
Modeopvisning - Kjoler (1908)
King Frederik VIII's Arrival in Berlin (1907)
Volunteer Boys' Association (1907)
Viking løber af Stabelen (1907)
Shrovetide Celebrations at Mogensen's (1907)
A Blasting Operation in Ordrup (1907)
Skøjteløbning i Fredericia (1907)
Engineers Building a Temporary Bridge (1907)
The Orchestra at Frederiksberg Theater (1907)
Children's Welfare Day in Copenhagen (1907)
Cattle Show in Haslev (1907)
Engineer Corps Preparing for Explosions (1907)
Automobiler i Fredensborg (1907)
May 1 demo in Slagelse (1907)
Sprængning af Træer i Dyrehaven (1907)
Københavnerbilleder (1907)
Prinsen og Prinsessen af Wales' Ankomst til Trondhjem (1906)
Militære Opvisninger paa Fælleden (1906)
The King and Queen Drive Between Kroningen and Trondheim Cathedral on 22 June 1906 (1906)
Orpheus and Eurydice (1906)
King Frederik VIII's Proclamation (1906)
Kong Haakons og Dronning Mauds Besøg i Danmark (1906)
The Gypsy Dance from the Opera 'Il Trovatore' (1906)
The Life Guards on Amager (1906)
Holmenkollen Ski Jump (1906)
The Icelandic Althing Visits Copenhagen (1906)
Prince Carl's Departure (1905)
Through Aarhus Gates by Tram (1905)
Linotol Comp. (1905)
Emperor Wilhelm's Arrival in Copenhagen 1905 (1905)
A Belly Dancer (1905)
From Siberia to Moscow (1905)
Daniel Dalsgaards Kaffeforretning (1904)
The Trade Guilds' Parade (1904)
Ribe Cathedral Inauguration (1904)
Empress Dagmar Arrives By Train (1904)
Artillery at Jægerspris (1903)
La sylphide (1903)
King Christian IX Receives Grand Duke Friedrich-Franz (1903)
De kongelige paa cykler i Fredensborg slotsgaard (1903)
Royal Shooting Party on Hveen (1903)
Dagmar Hansen (1903)
The Execution (1903)
The Tarantella from 'Napoli' (1903)
Sct. Clemensbro i Aarhus (1902)
The Children's Dance from 'Elverhøj' (1902)
Queen Alexandra's Arrival to Toldboden (1902)
Kongerevue paa Fælleden (1902)
Pas de Deux (1902)
Kejserinde Dagmars Ankomst til Bellevue (1902)
Undressing scene 'summer joys' (1902)
The Emperor of Russia's Arrival in Elsinore (1902)
Wania Tartakoff (1902)
Tietgen's Funeral (1901)
Kejserinde Dagmars ankomst til Helsingør (1900)
De Kongelige skal fotograferes (1899)
Bech Olsens og Poul Pons' brydekamp (1899)
Brandvæsenet rykker ud (1897)
Driving with Greenland Dogs (1897)
Ratings
Information
Known ForDirecting
GenderMale
Birthday1866-01-01
Deathday1931-02-18 (65 years old)
Birth PlaceCopenhagen, Denmark
CitizenshipsDenmark
Also Known AsLars Peter Elfelt, Peter Lars Petersen
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