Rare footage from the early 20th century showcases history of cinema in the South

Watch: ITV News Meridian's Tom Savvides reports.

Rare footage from the early 1900s has been released to showcase the history of cinema in the South and South East.

A number of events have been taking place as part of West Sussex Unwrapped - which celebrates life in the county through film and pictures.

It came about after organisers delved into the archives, where they worked in collaboration with Screen Archive South East and West Sussex Record Office.

Watch: Historian Frank Gray explains the importance of the archives.

Some of the films uncovered date back to the early 1900's and covered important moments at the time.

They found soldiers marching through East Grinstead in 1914, as they were about to head to war, a poignant moment in history.

Also uncovered were children leaving the Heath Theatre in Haywards Heath in 1930 - which Frank says shows the importance of the medium.

Even now, he firmly believes that going to the cinema is still important - despite advancements in technology.