Pioneer filmmakers in the purest sense of the term, Auguste and Louis Lumiére created the cinematograph, the first real moving-picture camera, in 1895. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the event, this project unites 40 renowned directors (including Spike Lee, Peter Greenaway, Wim Wenders, David Lynch, Zhang Yimou and a whole bunch of Frenchmen) to pay tribute by making their own short films using the Lumiére cinematograph. Given the restrictions imposed by director Sarah Moon—each filmmaker is limited to 52 seconds and three takes, and forbidden to employ synchronous sound—the diversity of the results is amazing. Almost as interesting as the films themselves are the responses given by the participants when asked questions such as, "Is cinema mortal?" Both a tribute to the Lumiére Brothers and an essay on cinema's past, present and future, Lumiére and Company is fascinating, essential viewing.