The short film "Cleopatra", made in 1899 by pioneering director Georges Melies and thought lost to history, has been discovered in a secret storeroom in France, his descendants said.

Lasting just two minutes, the film was the 202nd of 520 made by Melies between 1896 and 1912 and is considered a groundbreaking classic in the early history of cinema.

A designer, illustrator and Paris theatre owner, Melies gained international recognition with his film "A Trip to the Moon" in 1902.

But his career was short-lived and much of his cinematic work has been lost. He died in 1938.