A century-old cinema in Beijing was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having been screening films for a hundred years.

 

Shanghai Guinness Book of World Records center declared the information on last Friday. 

 

Daguanlou Film House is acclaimed as the birthplace of Chinese film. One hundred years ago, Ren Qingtai, owner of a photo shop, produced and screened China's first film, featuring Beijing Opera performance, at the house.

 

In the past century, the movie house witnessed the earliest staging of Chinese silent films in 1905 and sound films in 1927. In 1960, Daguanlou was renovated into the first cinema in Beijing for wide-screen three-D films.

 

Daguanlou has been undergoing a thorough renovation to fully restore its original appearance featuring the architecture of the Qing Dynasty (1368-1644).

 

Beijing's first association of film fans was set up at the filmhouse on the same day.

 

The association plans to hold various activities at the cinema, including film premieres, film review exchanges, and meetings between fans and stars, in a bid to boost the century-old cinema. 

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2005)