“Chomón was a restless man, here, then there; he would appear and disappear when you least expected, but he never wasted time, because when he came back he always had something new to tell you that could be applied in the immediate future.”
That was how director and producer Albert Marro described the somewhat elusive and hyperactive Segundo de Chomón, with whom he shared a friendship and projects in Barcelona in the early 20th century.
Segundo de Chomón (Teruel 1871‒Paris 1929) moved to Barcelona as a child with his family, and it was there that he started out in film, joining Pathé Frères in 1902. Within a few years he had made a name for himself at the French production company as a specialist in special effects and animation, but it was his work at Turin’s Itala Film in 1912 and on the epic Cabiria (1914) by Giovanni Pastrone that would earn him renown in early cinema as a film technician.
Following his death Chomón was largely forgotten until the late 1940s, when historians such as Carlos Fernández Cuenca took an interest in him, although it wasn’t until 1971, the centenary of his birth, that the first monographs were published. In the last few decades he has been acclaimed by specialists such as Juan Gabriel Tharrats, Joan M. Minguet Batllori, and Jean-Claude Seguin, and more recently at the 2017 international conference organized and published by the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé (FSJP), Les mille et un visages de Segundo de Chomón, which cleared up many aspects and pointed out gaps in the story of Chomón’s life. In 2021, as part of the celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, the Filmoteca de Catalunya put together another international conference, “Laboratori Chomón”, turning the spotlight on his time in Barcelona, particularly from 1910 to 1912. Research in archives and personal collections, and the consulting of documents in the FJSP, combined with networking by FIAF film archives to locate films, revealed that this was an intensely creative period for the filmmaker, of which, incredibly, barely a trace remains.
In the spring of 1910, Chomón returned to Barcelona with all the knowledge acquired at Pathé Frères, where he had worked from 1906 on over 80 films as a special-effects wizard and director. He encountered a Barcelona centred on the sale and rental of films, a very lucrative business given the enthusiasm with which the city welcomed cinema. He himself played a significant part in the origins of the industry, setting up a film colouring workshop associated with production companies like Hispano Films and Lluís Macaya’s branch of Pathé. This branch came under the direction of Frenchman Louis Garnier in 1906, and moved to the Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona’s grand avenue, lined with impressive buildings belonging to Catalonia’s industrial middle class. There the company occupied the ground floor of the still-amazing Casa Batlló, entirely refurbished by the innovative modernist architect Antoni Gaudí, an ideal showcase for the most modern of businesses, cinema. It was a benchmark company in the city at the time, and even had its own laboratory.
Chomón and Garnier signed a contract on 1 June 1910, under which the filmmaker undertook “to shoot and edit for international release films that were essentially Spanish, acted in accordance with the country’s customs by Spanish actors”; it specified that two negatives would be made, and that Chomón would be paid 11 francs for every metre accepted. It turned out to be a short-lived agreement, rescinded on 12 May the following year with no reference to the titles or material delivered. The fact that a copy of Chomón’s notebook, containing an initial block of 37 “Spanish” plots, has been preserved led to the belief that they were films shot under that contract, but following a fruitless search of the Spanish press and Pathé catalogues, these titles are now presumed to have remained in the project phase.
We don’t know why the contract was cancelled, but new documents show that almost simultaneously Chomón would shut down one project to start another. On 1 May 1911, Segundo de Chomón and Francisco Fuster Garí, the brother of an impresario and film distributor, established the Societat Chomón-Fuster, a company for “the printing or production of motion picture films [cintas cinematograficas]”. Fuster provided the capital, and Chomón the “machinery, objects, and film material, and will provide and develop his technical and practical knowledge”. The partners set up a studio to shoot films in the summer of 1911, which would also be used as a film-colouring workshop. It must have been around this time that the agreement between the partners and Pathé began to take shape to launch Ibérico Films, the Spanish brand published and distributed by the French company.
Thanks to preserved sources, an initial filmography for Chomón’s Ibérico work can be established between autumn 1911 and May 1912, by which time he was at Itala Film in Turin. The first Ibérico films to be released were “natural landscapes”, such as Entre arrozales (currently untraced), La histórica Toledo, and Pintorescas cascadas de Alhama de Aragón.
The firm produced 12 fiction films with special effects, such as the gruesome El gusano solitario, a unique copy of which is in the Eye Filmmuseum – the only film in which the city of Barcelona is recognisable – and La Maison des revenants, recently restored from an original incomplete negative at the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, and trick films such as L’iris fantastique, Metamorfosis, and El Biombo de Cagliostro (Cagliostro’s Folding Screen).
These all appear in Chomón’s notebook, in which he wrote down the dates the negatives were sent to Paris, instructions for editing, which effects he used, how he used two cameras… But it’s the films that have been preserved – 6 of the 12 fiction and special-effects films which appear in the notebook – that show the studio, the set, and the acting company, headed by Christian [surname unknown], France Mathieu and her sister Julienne (Chomón’s wife), and Joan Balaguer, a famous Catalan actor with ties to Hispano Films.
Many of the Ibérico films went into the Pathé-KOK catalogue, and were available as 28mm black & white prints. Such is the case of Excursion en Kabylie (Algeria) and Una excursión a la isla de Mallorca, the only two films shot outside the Iberian Peninsula, and Gerona la Venecia española, but the original 35mm versions were advertised as coloured using the Cinémacoloris system. It was thought for some time that this system was developed by Chomón himself, but current evidence suggests that it was actually Pathécolor under a different brand name. Barcelona, Pintorescas cascadas de Alhama de Aragón, La històrica Toledo, Las dos principales ciudades de Portugal, and El Biombo de Cagliostro, as well as the magnificent Superstición andaluza (Andalusian Superstition), brimming with effects ingeniously inserted into the narrative, were all coloured using this system.
Chomón’s involvement with the Ibérico films in Barcelona is documented up to April 1912, just prior to his departure for Turin. Ibérico continued to produce films for local distribution until at least 1916, including the commissioned film Boda en Premià de Dalt servida por autos Ford, which is being shown in this Giornate programme, along with films that ended up in the Pathé catalogue.
We do not know about the business organization of other Pathé brands, like Nizza Film, or if it was the same as what appears to be the way Ibérico operated in Barcelona. But what is important for us is that Chomón’s Ibérico films enable us to understand the filmmaker’s work, which was normally part of projects of less obvious authorship. These films show us a Chomón whose interest in colour and effects, which feature increasingly in his work, remains intact, while helping us to understand how Pathé’s small-scale production worked, highlighting the filmmaker’s organizational ability in terms of both the quality and the quantity of his productions, which were quite exceptional compared to what was being made in Barcelona at the time.
Finally, thanks to his knowledge of the distribution system, Chomón was able to establish what might appear to be a chameleon-like camouflage strategy, passing off his films as French productions, incorporating them fully into the worldwide distribution programmes of Pathé, the production company with which he worked up until 1912.
The Ibérico films recovery project was made possible by the wise and generous efforts of colleagues who provided access or undertook the preservation and digitization of films. Our most sincere thanks to Béatrice de Pastre and Hermine Cognie (CNC – Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée); Paolo Tosini (Vulcanus Film; Cineteca Nacional, Mexico); Arianna Turci (Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique), Giovanna Fossati, Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi (Eye Filmmuseum); Pénélope Riboud-Seydoux, Stéphanie Salmon, and Manon Billaut (Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé); Francesca Bozzano (Cinémathèque de Toulouse); Bryony Dixon (BFI National Archive); and Aleksandar Erdeljanović (Jugoslovenska kinoteka).

Mariona Bruzzo, Rosa Cardona

 

LAS PINTORESCAS CASCADAS DE ALHAMA DE ARAGÓN / CHUTES D’EAU A MONASTERIO DE PIEDRA (The Waterfalls of Monasterio de Piedra) (ES 1911 / FR 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 4664. uscita/rel: 15.12.1911 (Kursaal, Barcelona), 01.02.1912 (FR). copia/copy: DCP, 2’45”, col. (da/from 35mm pos. nitr., 50 m., 18 fps, pochoir/stencil-colour); did./titles: ENG. fonte/source: CNC – Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée, Bois d’Arcy. Restauro/Restored 2021, CNC.

LA HISTÓRICA TOLEDO / L’ANTIQUE TOLÈDE (ES 1911 / FR 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 4670. uscita/rel: 01.11.1911 (Palacio de la Ilusión, Barcelona), 01.03.1912 (Omnia Pathé, Paris). copia/copy: DCP, 8’30”, col. (da/from 35mm pos. nitr., 173 m., 16 fps, pochoir/stencil-colour); did./titles: SPA. fonte/source: Vulcanus Film, Messina.
Restauro eseguito nel 2021 da Vulcanus Film a partire da un positivo nitrato (Viaje a Toledo/La Antigua Toledo) della Cineteca Nacional de Mexico. / Restored 2021 by Vulcanus Film from a 35mm nitrate print (Viaje a Toledo/La Antigua Toledo) from the Cineteca Nacional, Mexico City.

EXCURSIÓN A KABILYE / EXCURSION EN KABYLIE (ES 1911 / FR 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 4839. uscita/rel: 15.02.1912, Barcelona), 05.04 1912 (Omnia Pathé, Paris). copia/copy: DCP, 2′ (da/from 28mm pos. acetate, 40 m., 16 fps); did./titles: FRA. fonte/source: Filmoteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
Restauro eseguito nel 2022 dalla Filmoteca de Catalunya a partire da un positivo acetato dalla Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique. / Restored 2022 by the Filmoteca de Catalunya from an original 28mm acetate print from the Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique, Brussels.

FISICA DIABOLICA / PHYSIQUE DIABOLIQUE (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 4858. uscita/rel: 01.04.1912 (Palacio de la Ilusión, Barcelona), 01.05.1912 (FR). cast: Christian. copia/copy: DCP, 4′, col. (da/from 35mm pos., 73 m., 16 fps, imbibito/tinted); senza did./no titles. fonte/source: Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam.
Scansione 2K effettuata nel 2011 dal restauro fotochimico eseguito nel 1988. / Scanned in 2K in 2011 from a photochemical restoration print made in 1988.

LA CASA DE LOS DUENDES / LA MAISON DES REVENANTS (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 4862. uscita/rel: 11.03.1912 (Cine Excelsior, Barcelona), 01.06.1912 (FR). cast: Christian. copia/copy: DCP, 6′ (incomp., da/from 35mm neg., 130 m., 16 fps); senza did./no titles. fonte/source: Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, Paris.
Restauro 4K effettuato nel 2022, a partire da un negativo Pathé della Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, presso il laboratorio dell’Image Retrouvée di Parigi e il centro di conservazione e restauro 2CR-Filmoteca de Catalunya. / Restored in 4K in 2022 from a Pathé negative from the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, at L‘Image Retrouvée laboratory (Paris) and the Filmoteca de Catalunya’s 2CR conservation centre.

EL IRIS FANTÁSTICO / L’IRIS FANTASTIQUE (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5038. uscita/rel: 31.03.1912 (Cine Kursaal, Barcelona), 23.07.1912 (FR). cast: France Mathieu. copia/copy: DCP, 4′ (da/from 35mm, 85 m., 16 fps); senza did./no titles. fonte/source: Filmoteca de Catalunya (Colleció Chomón).
Copia digitalizzata a partire da un elemento di conservazione della Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé (FJSP). / Digitized from a conservation element from the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé.

EL BIOMBO DE CAGLIOSTRO / LE PARAVENT DE CAGLIOSTRO (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5163. uscita/rel: 12.03.1912 (Cine Kursaal, Barcelona), 26.07.1912 (FR). cast: France Mathieu, Julienne Mathieu. copia/copy: DCP, 6′, col. (da/from 35mm pos. nitr., 130 m., 16 fps, imbibito/tinted); senza did./no titles. fonte/source: Filmoteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
Restauro eseguito nel 2022 dalla Filmoteca de Catalunya da un positivo nitrato dalla collezione della Cinémathèque de Toulouse. / Restored 2022 by the Filmoteca de Catalunya from a nitrate print from the collection of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse.

SUPERSTICIÓN ANDALUZA (SOÑAR DESPIERTO) / SUPERSTITION ANDALOUSE (Andalusian Superstition) (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5181. uscita/rel: 24.06.1912 (Cine Soriano, Barcelona), 16.08.1912 (FR). cast: Christian, Joan Balaguer. copia/copy: DCP, 10′, col. (da/from 35mm pos. nitr., 183 m., 16 fps, pochoir/stencil-colour, imbibito/tinted); did./titles: ENG. fonte/source: Filmoteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
Restauro eseguito dal BFI National Archive da un positivo nitrato della propria collezione. / Restored by the BFI National Archive from a nitrate print in its collection.

METAMORFOSIS / MÉTAMORPHOSES (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5221. uscita/rel: 1912 (Cine Excelsior, Barcelona), 1912 (FR). cast: France Mathieu. copia/copy: DCP, 4’22” (da/from 35mm, pos. acetate, 77 m., 16 fps); senza did./no titles. fonte/source: Filmoteca de Catalunya, Barcelona (Chomón Collection).
Copia digitalizzata a partire da un elemento di conservazione safety proveniente dal CNC. / Digitized from a preserved safety element from the CNC – Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée, Bois d’Arcy.

EXCURSION A MALLORCA / EXCURSION À L’ÎLE DE MAJORQUE (Een Uitstapje Eiland Majorca & Spaans Eiland in de Middellandse Zee. Behoort tot de Groepp der Balearen) (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5271. uscita/rel: 01.07.1912 (Palacio de la Ilusión, Barcelona), 05.04.1912 (Omnia Pathé, Paris). copia/copy: DCP, 4′ (da/from 28mm pos. diacetate, 114 m., 16 fps); did./titles: NLD. fonte/source: Filmoteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
Restauro digitale effettuato nel 2021 dalla Filmoteca de Catalunya a partire da una copia 28mm della collezione dell’Eye Filmmuseum di Amsterdam. / Digital restoration made in 2021 by the Filmoteca de Catalunya, from a 28mm print from the collections of  Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam.

LAS PRINCIPALES CIUDADES DE PORTUGAL: LISBOA Y OPORTO / LES DEUX PLUS GRANDES VILLES DU PORTUGAL: LISBONNE ET OPORTO (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5333. uscita/rel: 01.08.1912 (Barcelona), 16.010.1912 (FR). copia/copy: DCP, 2′, col. (incomp., da/from 35mm pos. nitr., 40 m., 16 fps, pochoir/stencil Cinémacoloris; senza did./no titles. fonte/source: Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam.
Digitalizzazione del materiale preservato fotochimicamente nel 2010 dall’Eye Filmmuseum presso l’Haghefilm Digitaal a partire da una copia originale 35mm nitrato colorata con il sistema Cinémacoloris appartenente alla zcollezione del Cinema Museum di Londra.  / Digitized from the analog preservation made in 2010 by Eye Filmmuseum at Haghefilm Digitaal from an original 35mm nitrate print in the Cinémacoloris stencil-colour system, from the collection of The Cinema Museum, London.

BODA EN PREMIÀ DE MAR SERVIDA POR AUTOS MARCA FORD (ES, 1912?)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón?. prod: Ibérico Films. copia/copy: DCP, 2’32” (da/from 16mm dupe neg., 47 m., 16 fps; did./titles: SPA. fonte/source: Filmoteca de Catalunya, Barcelona.
Copia digitalizzata nel 2021 dalla Filmoteca de Catalunya. / Digitized 2021 by the Filmoteca de Catalunya.

BARCELONA / BARCELONE, PRINCIPALE VILLE DE LA CATALOGNE (Barcelona. Haupstadt von katalonien [Spanien]) (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5368. uscita/rel: 31.08.1912 (Barcelona), 16.10.1912 (FR). copia/copy: DCP, 3′, col. (da/from 35mm pos. nitr., 68 m., 16 fps, pochoir/stencil Cinémacoloris); did./titles: GER. fonte/source: Jugoslovenska kinoteka, Beograd.
Restauro effettuato dalla Jugoslovenska kinoteka di una propria copia nitrato 35mm colorata con il sistema Cinémacoloris. / Restoration by the Jugoslovenska kinoteka from a 35mm nitrate print in the Cinémacoloris stencil-colour system in its collections.

EL GUSANO SOLITARIO (Puceños tiene la solitaria) / ESCAMILLO À LE VERS SOLITAIRE (Escamillo heeft een lintworm) (ES/FR, 1912)
regia/dir: Segundo de Chomón. prod: Ibérico Films, per/for Pathé Frères; Pathé Cat. no. 5490. uscita/rel: 01.10.1912 (Barcelona). cast: Christian, Joan Balaguer. copia/copy: DCP, 8′ (da/from 35mm pos. nitr., 146 m., 16 fps); did./titles: NLD. fonte/source: Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam.
Preservazione fotochimica effettuata nel 2021 dall’Eye Filmmuseum presso l’Haghefilm Digitaal di una propria copia nitrato 35mm acquisita nel 2019. / Analog preservation in 2021 by Eye Filmmuseum at Haghefilm Digitaal of a 35mm nitrate print that entered their collections in 2019.