An exhibition filled with nostalgia from the golden age of the silver screen was opened at Xuwen Museum in Zhanjiang on Jan 17, giving visitors a look back at old-style film projectors.

Curators of the exhibition are Peng Chenbao and Chen Yuxian, who together have collected more than 40 projectors from across the world. Peng himself, used to be a film projectionist at Xuwen County Movie Theater.

Projectors, reels, and films are on display at the Xuwen Museum until Feb 12. [Photo by Wu Kaisong/yinsha.com]

On display until Feb 12, the collection includes a Swiss-made Bolex 8 mm silent movie projector, an Elmo super 8 mm sound movie projector, and a Kodak 8mm projector. The projectors will be put to use and rolling too, screening classic films such as Steel Soldier, released in 1950.

Until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Xuwen didn't have a movie theater. Before that time, locals relied on He Yaoting for their film fix, and watched movies on his 8 mm kerosene-lit silent movie projector. The first film with sound Xuwen people got to see was The Fall of Berlin in 1950, projected by the army at Xuwen's Guanyin Hill during a visit to Hainan province. The county's first movie theater was renovated from the local playhouse in 1959.

An 8 mm Kodak movie projector made in the US is on display at the museum. [Photo by Wu Kaisong/yinsha.com]

More than 300 people attended the exhibition's premier, including former director of the PLA General Political Department, general Li Tiance, and deputy county mayor Xu Caijuan.

Visitors admire the pre-digital era machinery. [Photo by Wu Kaisong/yinsha.com]