On December 28, the world celebrates International Film Day, Short Film Day, Calendar Day and Call a Friend Day.
International Film Day
It is a holiday dedicated to one of the most powerful and influential forms of art. Since its creation, cinema has become not only a source of entertainment, but also an important tool for the transmission of ideas, emotions and culture.
The date of this holiday was not chosen by chance, precisely on December 28, 1895, the first commercial film screening organized by the Lumiere brothers took place in Paris. This event marked the birth of cinema as a mass art capable of changing people’s perception of the world and themselves.
International Film Day is an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of cinema to society, to remember its history and to honor everyone who works in this field: directors, actors, screenwriters, cinematographers and many others.
Interesting facts
Swedish film Ambiancé directed by Anders Weberg lasts 720 hours (30 days). Its release is scheduled for 2024, after which the tape will be destroyed.
In 1888, Frenchman Louis Le Prince made a short video of Scene in Roundhay Gardens, which is considered the world’s first film.
To date, James Cameron’s Avatar (2009) is the highest-grossing film of all time, grossing over $2.9 billion.
The film The Russian Ark (2002) directed by Oleksandr Sokurov was shot in one continuous frame lasting 96 minutes.
The famous inscription “Hollywood” on the hills of Los Angeles was originally an advertising sign for “Hollywoodland” and only in 1949 acquired its modern appearance.
The documentary film Koyaanisqatsi (1982) directed by Godfrey Reggio was made without any dialogue or acting, using only shots of nature, cities and musical accompaniment.
Fresh Guacamole (2012) is only 1 minute 40 seconds long and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
Star Wars: A New Hope was sent to the ISS in 2007, becoming the first motion picture screened in space.
The world’s first cinema opened in Paris in 1895, organized by the Lumiere brothers.
The Indian film Sivappu Mazhai (2009) was shot and edited in 11 days, setting a Guinness World Record.
The special effect “bulletproof time” from The Matrix (1999) was achieved by arranging 120 cameras in a circle, which were filmed synchronously.
In 1927, the world saw the first sound film “The Jazz Singer”. It was a real revolution that changed the format of the film industry.
According to UNESCO, today India is the leader in the number of films produced per year, ahead of the USA and Nigeria.
The most successful film in the history of the Oscars was Titanic, which won 11 awards, including Best Picture.
Short Film Day
This holiday is dedicated to one of the most unique and distinctive genres of cinematography. This date was chosen because it was on this day that the first public film screening of the Lumière brothers took place in 1895.
Short film is a real art of brevity, where in just a few minutes directors are able to reveal stories, emotions and ideas that leave a deep mark in the souls of the audience. For many filmmakers, the short film becomes a launching pad for a career, and for the audience, it becomes the discovery of new themes and forms of cinematography.
Short meter is distinguished by its intensity, dynamism and ability to touch on important social, emotional or philosophical themes in a limited time. Films of this genre are often experimental, which allows authors to look for new approaches to shooting and telling stories.
Contemporary short films are extremely popular at international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin or Venice. Separately, specialized festivals dedicated exclusively to the short meter are held.
Interesting facts
In 1895, the Lumière brothers showed the world their film “Workers leaving the factory”, which lasted only 46 seconds. There were about 30 spectators at the event, and the entrance ticket cost 1 franc.
One of the Lumiere films, “Arrival of a Train at the Station”, caused panic among the audience who saw the moving image for the first time. They thought that the train was about to crash into the hall.
Since 1932, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has annually awarded the Academy Award for Best Short Film.
Short films are often made with a minimal budget, but this does not prevent them from gaining international recognition.
Ukrainian directors are also actively working in this genre. For example, the film “Anna” directed by Dekel Berenson and Oles Sanin won awards at prestigious festivals.
Thanks to the Internet, short films have become more accessible to viewers around the world. Platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo or specialized online cinemas allow you to enjoy this genre at any time.
Calendar day
Every year on December 28, the world celebrates Calendar Day, a holiday dedicated to one of mankind’s oldest tools that help organize time. The date of the celebration was not chosen by chance: it was on December 28, 1708 that the first civil calendar was published under the editorship of Jacob Bras, which became an important event in the history of time measurement and planning.
Calendars have played an important role in people’s lives since ancient times, helping to conduct agriculture, celebrate religious holidays, plan public events and build the life of societies. The publication of the first civil calendar was a step in the standardization of time measurement, which facilitated coordination in social and economic life.
Interesting facts
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a calendar over 10,000 years old in Scotland. It was created by hunter-gatherers to track the phases of the moon.
In 46 BC Julius Caesar introduced the calendar, which was used in many countries for over fifteen thousand years and became the basis for the modern Gregorian calendar.
Today, this calendar is the most common in the world. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct the inaccuracies of the Julian calendar.
Many cultures have their own calendars: for example, Chinese, Islamic and Indian. They reflect the religious and astronomical traditions of each nation.
Since ancient times, there has also been the Mayan calendar, a complex time calculation system created by one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world. It consisted of several cycles, including the sacred Tsolkin calendar (260 days) and the Haab solar calendar (365 days). These calendars were used for religious ceremonies, astronomical observations, and the management of social life.
One of the most famous features of the Mayan calendar is the Long Count, which counted the time from the mythical date of the beginning of the world – August 11, 3114 BC. It gained popularity in 2012, when due to the completion of one of the cycles, the “end of the world” was mistakenly predicted. The Mayan calendar is impressively accurate, taking into account the movement of the Sun, Moon and planets. This is a vivid example of the achievements of ancient science and astronomy.
With the development of technology, digital calendars have become an integral part of modern life, allowing the integration of schedules, reminders and tasks in a single interface.
“Call a friend” day
Among the unusual holidays that fill our lives with pleasant moments, a special place is occupied by “Call a friend” Day. It is a holiday that reminds us of the importance of friendship, sincere conversation and attention to people who are an integral part of our lives.
The day doesn’t have an official celebration date, but it often falls on the final days of the year, when people take stock, remember important moments, and look for ways to show gratitude to those who supported them throughout the year.
Call a Friend Day is a reminder that even a short conversation can change your mood, bring joy and a sense of closeness. In a world where we often prefer texting or social media, a phone call becomes a particularly valuable gesture. A friend’s voice is able to convey warmth that cannot always be felt in texts.
In the fast rhythm of modern life, we sometimes forget about those who are always close to us. Calling a friend is a simple but sincere way to show that you remember them, appreciate them and want to keep in touch. For many people, such calls become a salvation in difficult moments, reminding them that they are not alone.
Interesting facts
Scientists claim that talking with friends helps reduce stress and improve psychological well-being.
A call to a friend can improve mood even better than communication on social networks, because the voice conveys emotions much more deeply.
On average, people maintain regular contact with only 5-10 friends, although they make hundreds of acquaintances during their lifetime.
Historical events on this day
1065 – Westminster Abbey was founded in London, one of the most famous shrines in Great Britain. Westminster Abbey has become the place of coronation of English monarchs and an important symbol of national heritage.
1869 – American William Finley Sample from Ohio patented chewing gum. This invention became a part of the daily life of millions of people and started an entire chewing gum industry.
1895 – At the Grand Cafe in Paris, the brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière held the first commercial film screening. This day is considered the birthday of cinema, because it was the Lumiere brothers who invented a device that combined the functions of a camera and a projector.
1908 – One of the largest earthquakes in the history of Europe occurred in the south of Italy. According to various sources, from 160 to 250 thousand people died in the disaster. This disaster became one of the most tragic in European history.
1942 – During the Second World War, Japanese aircraft began bombing the city of Calcutta in India. This became part of Japan’s strategy in Southeast Asia to weaken British influence in the region.
1943 – The deportation of the Kalmyk people has begun. During the punitive operation “Ulus”, NKVD troops took about 100,000 Kalmyks from the territory of the liquidated Kalmyk ASSR to Siberia. This deportation became one of the many crimes of the Stalinist regime.
1944 – In the village of Korelichy, Peremyshlyan district, Lviv region, a major battle took place between a hundred UPA “Poltavtsi” and units of the NKVD. This was one of the many episodes of the struggle of the Ukrainian rebels against the Soviet authorities.
1973 – The book “Gulag Archipelago” by Oleksandr Solzhenitsyn was published in Paris. This work, which exposed the repressive system of the Soviet Union during the period 1918–1956, became an important contribution to the understanding of the crimes of the totalitarian regime.
1983 – Shatskyi National Natural Park was created. This nature conservation area has become one of the most valuable ecological objects of Ukraine, preserving unique lakes and biodiversity.
1987 – 76-year-old Cypriot Kiveli Papaioannou set a world record for the longest stay in an elevator, staying there from December 28 to January 2. She was eating the food she bought before she was trapped.
1991 – Six more states recognized the independence of Ukraine: Italy, Indonesia, Jordan, Oman, Syria and Japan. This was another step on the way to the international recognition of Ukraine as an independent state.
1999 – Turkmenistan adopted a law according to which Saparmurat Niyazov became the country’s president for life. This decision cemented the authoritarian regime that ruled the country for many years.
2014 – The operation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has ended. This put an end to the 13-year-old international military mission, which was aimed at fighting terrorism and stabilizing the situation in the country.
