AN ARCTIC TRIAL: Pathé-Baby in the extreme lands—the case of the 9.5mm amateur film of the Nobile expedition to the North Pole (1928)

This chapter explores the rediscovery of a small-gauge amateur film secretly shot by members of the Nobile Expedition. This unauthorized production violated exclusive agreements with the Italian government for official cinematic documentation of the expedition. This chapter reconstructs the historical context and examines the legal and procedural disputes that arose, shedding light on the tensions between state control, individual agency, and media production during the late 1920s. Beyond the legal implications, it reflects on the role of moving images in shaping scientific discourse during the polar exploration era, revealing how visual documentation served as both evidence and propaganda in the ‘race to the Poles’. This chapter also investigates the interplay between emerging amateur filmmaking technologies and exploratory travel, emphasizing the accessibility and portability of small-gauge formats like 9.5mm. Finally, it underscores the critical differences between standard-format and small-gauge films, both technically and in their cultural significance, arguing that these distinctions influenced how exploration was recorded, shared, and remembered. By situating this amateur film within broader debates on technology, visual culture, and exploration, this chapter offers a nuanced perspective on the intersections of science, media, and adventure.