Early silent film shows dancer defying gravity on wild waves.

A Nymph of the Waves (1900), a brief and captivating experiment, stands at the dawn of cinema. This silent film defies the limitations of early filmmaking by creating a fantastical scene.

Watch as a dancer, clad in flowing white, pirouettes across churning rapids. But look closer. The rushing water and the graceful dance are not one, but two separate films cleverly layered on top of each other.

This innovative technique, known as superimposition, breaks the boundaries of realism and opens the door to a world of cinematic possibility.

A Nymph of the Waves isn't just a portrayal of a mythical creature; it's a testament to the boundless imagination of the new art form of film.