This film is part of Free

Japanese Acrobats
Acrobats exhibit their physical agility and masterly skills with assorted spinning and balancing feats.
Overview
Five male acrobats of varying age and height (perhaps a father and his four sons), perform their remarkable feats against a trompe-l’oeil backdrop of what appears to be an enclosed arboretum. Athletic feats were one of the more popular features of early cinema, and many companies filmed acrobats. (Kosuke Fujiki)
Bryony Dixon, BFI curator of silent film adds: This is Les Fujimaki made by Pathé Frères in France and distributed in the UK by the Bohemian Film Agency.
Related

Around Japan with a Movie Camera Around Japan with a Movie Camera
Documentary 1912 75 mins
Intense interest in Japan by the West made it a favourite destination for filmmakers from the earliest days of film. This selection of films from 1901 to 1913, newly restored by the BFI National Archive, takes us on a fascinating journey through Meiji Japan.

Among the Japanese Among the Japanese
Interest film 1920 2 mins Silent
Upper-class Japanese ladies dress up for an open-air afternoon tea, to appreciate the shortlived cherry blossoms.

The Ainus of Japan The Ainus of Japan
Interest film 1913 3 mins Silent
This ethnographic film offers a brief overview of the traditional culture of the Ainu, an ethnic minority in Japan.

Shooting the Rapids on the River Ozu in Japan Shooting the Rapids on the River Ozu in Japan
Travelogue 1911 7 mins Silent
A wild boat ride through the Hozu River’s white-water rapids, set against a beautifully coloured natural background.

Japanese School Children Japanese School Children
Non-Fiction 1904 2 mins Silent
In a school gymnastic festival, boys and girls demonstrate their physical rigour through exercise and dance.

Japanese Festival Japanese Festival
Interest film 1909 5 mins Silent
A vibrant festival with parades of fishermen and geisha celebrates the 50th anniversary of the opening of Yokohama Port.

Alexandre Desplat (Masterclass) Alexandre Desplat (Masterclass)
Inside Film 2011 33 mins
Over 30 years and 150 projects, the composer shares, with humour and passion, the intricacies of making film music.

Ian Neil (Masterclass) Ian Neil (Masterclass)
Inside Film 2012 74 mins
Neil selected soundtracks for 127 Hours, Shame, Kick Ass, Control and many more. He discusses the job and its complexities, referencing his own work.

Screenwriters' Lecture: Peter Straughan Screenwriters' Lecture: Peter Straughan
Inside Film 2012 mins
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy's adapter reveals his quest for "the poem of the book" and the importance of simplicity: 'Drain the pond to find the fish'.

Gabriel Yared on composing for film Gabriel Yared on composing for film
Inside Film 2013 11 mins
Composer of The Lives of Others, The English Patient and Betty Blue on intimacy and experimentation.

Lois Burwell on movie makeup Lois Burwell on movie makeup
Inside Film 2013 17 mins
Lincoln, Braveheart and Magnolia make-up artist Lois Burwell explains how she created some of her most iconic looks, as part of a BAFTA Masterclass.

Barry Ackroyd (Masterclass) Barry Ackroyd (Masterclass)
2013 61 mins
British cinematographer of The Hurt Locker, Captain Phillips, Hillsborough and Riff Raff reviews the art of the moving image.