Ludwig Amann is impersonating both Capt. Alfred Dreyfus and Émile Zola. Both were persons of interest to the public in those years. Capt. Dreyfus because of the "Dreyfus Affair" and Émile Zola as an important literary figure who also took an important role in the "Dreyfus Affair" by publishing the open letter titled "J'accuse" ("I accuse") where he accused the French government and military of anti-Semitism and of falsely accusing Capt. Dreyfus. The shortness of this film is probably due to Amann simply impersonating them by dressing up.

The famous quick-change artist Ludwig Amann impersonates Emile Zola and Alfred Dreyfus.

Source: Bryony Dixon

German-born Ludwig Amann would have been performing in London when he was captured in this film by WKL Dickson for the British Mutoscope and Biograph Company. In this fragment of his 'man of many faces' act, Amann performs scenes from the notorious 'Dreyfus Affair', which revealed the scale of antisemitism in the French state.

Amann plays, in turn, the great novelist Emile Zola and the man he is defending, French Army Captain Alfred Dreyfus, falsely accused and convicted of spying for the Germans. Between these two, Amann makes a brief appearance as himself. Dickson's unique 68mm film stock allows us to see the performance in every detail - down to the line of Zola's wig.

Source: BFI