The 2011 Cambridge Film Festival is now over, come back soon for details of next year's festival

In a two part programme we cover the journey of cinematic presentation from its pre-history of the magic lantern show through the birth of the movies in the 1890s to the explosion of the Hollywood system. Taking in the struggles against the emergence of television, the ways in which the movies tried to re-invent itself from Cinerama, CinemaScope to 70mm and the coming of IMAX, to the rediscovery of 3D and modern digital presentations. This has been a story of technology matched with showmanship forever chasing the public’s desire for greater thrills and entertainment. The programme will be illustrated with sections of features and short films that illustrate the ingenuity and imagination of filmmakers over 120 years.