"Cinematograms" of a Balkan Conflict: Charles Rider Noble in Bulgaria, 1903-1904

Charles Rider Noble, a camera operator for Charles Urban, travelled to Bulgaria in 1903 to film the aftermath of a rebellion against Turkish rule in neighbouring Macedonia. The films, the first ever shot in this part of the world, were screened in London and generated much interest among the press. Noble returned to Bulgaria in 1904 and travelled throughout the country showing his Bulgarian films and others, as well as shooting new films. This article is based on a thorough examination of Bulgarian newspapers of the period as well as extensive research in periodicals from elsewhere and in film catalogues.