Salvation and the silver screen.

Before Hollywood, there was The Limelight Department Australia—one of the world’s first film studios, founded by The Salvation Army in Melbourne, Victoria in 1891. From magic lantern shows to producing the world’s first multimedia presentation, the Limelight Department created over 400 films, including Soldiers of the Cross (1900) and historic footage of Australia’s Federation in 1901. Despite revolutionising visual storytelling, the studio was forced to close in 1910, erasing a pivotal chapter in film history. LIMELIGHT uncovers the forgotten pioneers of Australian cinema and their groundbreaking work in early film production.