La Chasse à la girafe en Ouganda

This early silent film from 1910, shot in 1908 in Uganda, follows a hunting expedition that blends real footage with staged scenes. The narrative centers on a party pursuing giraffes, interspersed with scenes that suggest a documentary record but carry a theatrical edge. The filmmakers place spectators in close proximity to the action, showing guides, trackers, and the hunting crew as they move through savanna and river country. The tone oscillates between documentary observation and constructed drama, offering a glimpse into colonial-era wildlife pursuits while raising questions about how Africa and its creatures are depicted on screen. The result is as much a product of its era as a spectacle. It invites viewers to weigh the allure of exotic scenes.

Directed by Alfred Machin, this 1910 silent short was shot in Uganda in 1908, blending documentary style with staged elements to capture a giraffe hunting expedition and the people involved, including guides and porters without narration or intertitles.

Box office data for this early 1910 title is not readily available. As with many silent era releases, financial figures were not systematically recorded, so its commercial footprint remains largely unknown.

In terms of themes the film sits at the crossroads of early documentary practice and staged adventure, highlighting the exotic appeal of Africa while prompting questions about representation, authority, and the colonial gaze in silent era cinema.