this company was also a reaction to the creation in February of the same year of a company with a similar objective, , and to the ongoing production by that company of its first film, The Assassination of the Duke of Guise. Albert Capellani was appointed Artistic Director of the SCAGL and in charge of directing L'Arlésienne, the first film to be produced by the new company. The film was almost entirely shot on location in Arles and shows the old streets, the Roman Amphitheatre and the olive groves. It was longer than usual for the time with a length of 355 meter, giving a projection time of about 18 minutes at 18 fps. The film is composed of 43 shots, showing 27 different points of views, and 10 intertitles which do not replace dialogs but rather introduce the various scenes. Apart from two camera pannings, all the shots are fixed wide shots. Release and reception The SCAGL managed to beat Le Film d'Art at the finish line and the première of L'Arlésienne took place in Paris at the Omnia-Pathé theatre on 1 October 1908, one and a half months before the release of The Assassination of the Duke of Guise. The film was presented with the incidental music composed by Georges Bizet for the eponymous play. It was the first time that a score composed by a renowned composer was associated with a film. According to Phono-Ciné-Gazette, the première of the film in Paris was a resounding success. The film was also a success in London according to an article published in Bioscope which stressed that the fast rhythm of action increased the viewers' interest and that the images of the countryside were like a fairy-tale. Christine Leteux wrote that L'Arlésienne is a genuine masterpiece. "Capellani shows a remarkable sens of pictorialism in his camera angles and lighting effects. The film even contains an astonishing 180-degree panorama. He uses double exposure with amazing virtuosity. Capellani manages to make us feel Frédéric's torments as he is haunted by the image of the Arlésienne which appears constantly by his side, even in the presence of his bride". Preservation The film was considered lost during many decades. It was rediscovered and restored at the beginning of the 21st century and presented in 2011 at the Festival Il Cinema Ritrovato organised by the Cineteca di Bologna. The film is included in the DVD