Emmanuel Briffa National Historic Person (1875-1955)
Emmanuel Briffa was designated as a national historic person in 2007.
Historical importance: exceptional cinema decorator from the 1920s to 1955, he created sixty movie theatre interiors, from which three movie theatres designated of national historical significance.
Commemorative plaque: Outremont Theatre, 1248 Bernard Street West, Montréal, QuebecFootnote 1
Emmanuel Briffa (1875-1955)
A talented and prolific artist, Emmanuel Briffa designed the interiors of more than 60 cinemas across the country during a particularly dynamic period in Canadian movie theatre design. From the 1920s to 1955, he worked for major cinema chains, creating interior architecture, murals, and sculptural decoration in a wide variety of styles, including Neoclassical, Egyptian, Spanish, and Art Deco. Remarkable for its artistic quality, thematic range, and originality, his work includes examples of the best of Canada’s cinematic architectural heritage.
The National Program of Historical Commemoration relies on the participation of Canadians in the identification of places, events and persons of national historic significance. Any member of the public can nominate a topic for consideration by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
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