Roberto Omegna, (born May 28, 1876, Turin, Italy—died Nov. 9, 1948, Turin), motion picture cameraman, director, and producer ofdocumentaries, one of the pioneers of the Italian cinema. His thorough research and filmmaking skills place him in the forefront of early documentarians. After receiving degrees in physics and mathematics, Omegna attended the Bassi and Ristori school of acting in Turin. In 1901 he and a partner opened the Edison Cinema in Turin, where he began to make short travel documentaries to both show at his theatre and sell to other exhibitors. He helped found the Ambrosio film studio in 1905 and went on to produce almost 100 films during his 18-year tenure with the company, serving as artistic director for all films and sometimes as cameraman or director (or both) as well. A pioneer of the documentary, Omegna produced some of the first films on travel, nature, and medici…
