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The Camera is Ours: Britain's Women Documentary Makers
From the female pioneers in the 1930s to the rich contemporary scene, women documentarians tell a vibrant story.
ohn Grierson is sometimes referred to as the father of British documentary and is credited with coining the term ‘documentary’. However, from the outset there were pivotal female influences on the genre, including Grierson’s sisters Ruby and Marion. We’re delighted to showcase Ruby’s work alongside that of other pioneering documentary makers in many digital restorations from the BFI National Archive. These films are at the heart of the BFI’s project to raise the visibility of the women who’ve been making documentaries for almost 100 years. These are works that reveal the impact of war on families, examine housing conditions, expose barriers against inclusive societies: both then and now there are women on the frontline, telling stories.
- Ros Cranston, BFI National Archive curator
Frida Kahlo & Tina ModottiFrida Kahlo & Tina Modotti
Animation & Artists Moving Image198330 mins
Immerse yourself in the work of Frida Kahlo and Tina Modotti - icons of the Mexican Renaissance.
Once We Were FourOnce We Were Four
Documentary19429 mins
Innocent bunnies face an onslaught of badgers, bombs and birds of prey in this black comedy masquerading as a nature film.
Tunde's FilmTunde's Film
Documentary drama197440 mins Location: Stepney
Tired of being hassled by the police and with no job opportunities, a group of teenage East End lads plan to rob a bank.
So This Is LondonSo This Is London
Documentary193314 minsSilent Location: Westminster
London at its best? This gorgeous lyrical portrait was made by pioneering female director Marion Grierson.
Black to FrontBlack to Front
Current affairs197827 mins Location: Brixton
World in Action interviews the residents of Haycroft Road, Brixton as a controversial by-election stokes concerns about race and immigration.
Spring on the FarmSpring on the Farm
Documentary19338 mins
The exhilaration of spring in the country – blossom, piglets, ducklings and more delights on the farm.
Today We LiveToday We Live
Documentary193724 mins Location: South Cerney
A key social issues film documentary from the British Documentary Movement, this two-part film follows the establishment of social enterprises in England and Wales.
HedgingHedging
Documentary19429 mins Location: Moulton
Is your hedge thin and straggly? Don't worry, help is at hand
My River TyneMy River Tyne
Animation & Artists Moving Image19867 mins Location: South Shields
An unusual mix of pastel, photos, film and line drawings conjures a story of the River Tyne, from its source at the Scottish border to its mouth at South Shields.
Never Go with StrangersNever Go with Strangers
Documentary197118 mins
Is this the scariest public information film ever? This hard-hitting warning against 'stranger danger' was considered too distressing to be broadcast on television.
District NurseDistrict Nurse
Government sponsored film195227 mins Location: Wadhurst
Never a dull moment for a rural district nurse in the early days of the NHS.
The Smoking MachineThe Smoking Machine
Documentary196416 mins
Documentary warning children about the drawbacks of cigarettes – not least their addictiveness.
A Family Called AbrewA Family Called Abrew
Biopic199240 mins
Meet the Abrews, a unique showbiz family whose imprint on British culture began in Scotland in the 19th century
Plan to Work OnPlan to Work On
Documentary194833 mins Location: Dunfermline
Kay Mander's film about the planning for Dunfermline’s post-war reconstruction is a fascinating record of the idealism of mid-20th-century town planning.
Brighton StoryBrighton Story
Documentary195522 mins Location: Brighton
A ghost of Brighton's Regency past returns to explore his old haunts in a colourful yarn set in 1950s Sussex-by-the-Sea.
4 and 20 Fit Girls4 and 20 Fit Girls
194011 minsSilent
Flock to your local keep fit class - there's a war on and Britain needs its citizens in tip-top shape.
Quiet MorningQuiet Morning
School programme and Educational film195511 mins Location: Finchley
Everyday family life in suburban North London - as seen by folk learning English in the 1950s.
Wisdom of the WildWisdom of the Wild
Documentary194012 mins
Fun mixture of natural history and wartime public information.
Out of ChaosOut of Chaos
Documentary194427 mins Location: Trafalgar Square
"Why in the height of a world war, should there be this terrific interest in painting?"
The Way We LiveThe Way We Live
War194664 mins Location: Plymouth
This stylish film shows the cramped life of one family in post-war Plymouth, and expands on the contentious plans for the city's rebuilding.
Bird SanctuaryBird Sanctuary
Documentary193618 mins Location: Farne Islands
You don't have to be an ornithologist to enjoy this playful documentary about the Farne Islands' avian population
Two Legs...Three Widows...And a near MissTwo Legs...Three Widows...And a near Miss
Documentary197720 mins
Vivid and alarming safety film shot at Teversal, Thoresby and Welbeck Collieries in Nottinghamshire.
Deep DigDeep Dig
Documentary195720 mins
Epic undertaking at Bevercotes Colliery, digging 3000 feet to reach untapped coal seams in Nottinghamshire.
Southern SeasideSouthern Seaside
Travelogue193515 minsSilent Location: Bournemouth
Anyone for a trip to the seaside? From Bournemouth to Margate via Brighton and Folkestone – sunny delights in abundance.
What's for DinnerWhat's for Dinner
Documentary19409 mins
Could the perennial question of what to cook for dinner have been solved forever?
Double ThreadDouble Thread
Documentary194333 mins Location: Guildford
The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds (1940s-style) at a nursery in Guildford.
Dover, Spring 1947Dover, Spring 1947
Documentary194711 mins Location: Dover
Dover gets a makeover in this offbeat and pointed public information film.
Travelling SixtiesTravelling Sixties
Documentary19689 mins Location: Isle of Wight
It’s 1968 and the elderly are on holiday; a Newcastle train goes to the Isle of Wight.
Atoms at WorkAtoms at Work
195211 mins Location: Harwell
A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Harwell's nuclear research establishment and the peaceful applications of atomic energy.
Bristol, British CityBristol, British City
Documentary195118 mins Location: Bristol
How a thousand years of history have helped the West Country capital to emerge from the blitz as a modern city of art and industry.
EdinburghEdinburgh
Documentary193410 minsSilent Location: Edinburgh
Bonnie Edinburgh - a picturesque promotional film to attract tourists to the Scottish capital
Around the Village GreenAround the Village Green
Travelogue193712 mins Location: Finchingfield
Rural life in the Essex villages of Finchingfield and Great Bardfield - and the mixed reactions of older residents to changing times.
Fruitlands of KentFruitlands of Kent
193412 mins Location: East Kent Railway
The orchards ripen and a Kentish summer blossoms on film.
Somersetshire Dairy FarmingSomersetshire Dairy Farming
193712 mins Location: Bleadon
Milky movie: close-up on Somerset's changing milk and cheese industry
Market TownMarket Town
Travelogue194210 mins Location: Newark-on-Trent
Rise and shine! Newark market calls with a seductive array of produce.
IrresponsiblesIrresponsibles
Documentary drama192939 minsSilent Location: Welwyn Garden City
This striking female-focused silent drama muses on the long-term perils of sexually transmitted diseases
Incinerate - With CoalIncinerate - With Coal
Documentary197326 mins Location: Nottingham
The styles, streets and music of 1970s Nottingham are engagingly evoked in this industrial process film.
The Site in the SeaThe Site in the Sea
Industry sponsored film197035 mins Location: Port Talbot
Building a new harbour at Port Talbot - it’s a man’s world in which the only females are a dredger and two seafaring vessels.
The Children See It ThroughThe Children See It Through
Documentary19418 minsSilent Location: London
The children of the London Blitz are the focus of this punchy and poignant documentary.
Nursery IslandNursery Island
Documentary193618 mins Location: Farne Islands
The birdlife of Northumberland's Farne Islands comes under the spotlight in this pioneering documentary from the Secrets of Life nature series.
Hereford Pedigree CattleHereford Pedigree Cattle
School programme and Educational film193710 mins Location: Hereford
A subtly charming portrait of agricultural life in the west of England, featuring some fine pedigree cattle.
Devon Dairy FarmingDevon Dairy Farming
School programme and Educational film19379 mins Location: Plympton
A charming 1930s geography lesson on dairy farming around the lush pasturelands of Wixenford Farm near Plymouth.
Mrs. T. And Her Cabbage PatchMrs. T. And Her Cabbage Patch
Public Information Filler194112 mins
Poetic tribute to Mrs Turner's vegetable growing prowess, plus the delights of "wartime steaks"
Civilian FrontCivilian Front
War194010 mins
It's all action on the home front with civilians on high alert to support the war effort.
London PigeonLondon Pigeon
Documentary19409 mins Location: Westminster
Urban nature explored in this wonderful short film looking at the lives, habits and habitats of London’s pigeon population.
Understanding AggressionUnderstanding Aggression
Documentary196023 mins
Eye-opening drama-doc, originally used in psychiatric nursing training.
Storing Vegetables OutdoorsStoring Vegetables Outdoors
Government sponsored film19419 mins
Building a larder using soil and straw: this age-old method was a boon to home-front gardeners
Prevention of cross Infection: Respiratory Tract Infection in Children's WardsPrevention of cross Infection: Respiratory Tract Infection in Children's Wards
Documentary195314 mins
How an outbreak of streptococcal infection spreads – droplet by droplet – and how it can be prevented.
Frida Kahlo's CorsetFrida Kahlo's Corset
Drama20009 mins
Frida Kahlo’s Corset is a short experimental drama that follows a journey of transformation by the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) who wore a series of orthopaedic corsets because of impairment.
Code Name: Westward Ho!Code Name: Westward Ho!
Documentary194911 mins
"They’re not so very different from our own people, are they?" A sensitive depiction of European workers in the UK.
Cargo for ArdrossanCargo for Ardrossan
Documentary193918 mins Location: Islay
Oil arrives at the Ayrshire coast: this fine documentary by Ruby Grierson tells the story.
Fair RentFair Rent
Documentary194711 mins Location: Aberdeen
Power cuts, housing shortages and exorbitant rents – Aberdeen man Norrie Williamson goes head to head with his greedy landlady
Stooking and StackingStooking and Stacking
Documentary194312 mins
Are your stooking and stacking skills poor? Watch and learn how best to stack your stooks.
Critical HarvestCritical Harvest
Government sponsored film19469 mins
Appeal for energetic city workers to get out to farms in their spare time to help out with the harvest of 1946.
Near HomeNear Home
Government sponsored film194924 mins Location: Bishop Auckland
A rare outing for a 1945 drama documentary on local studies education in Bishop Auckland by one of Britain's pioneering women directors.
Twenty-four Square MilesTwenty-four Square Miles
Documentary194642 mins Location: Banbury
For an impression of what life was like in rural Oxfordshire in the mid-1940s, look no further than this documentary
How to FileHow to File
Industry sponsored film19418 mins
Listen up, apprentices! Learn how to smooth and shape metal – an important wartime skill.
Ebb-tideEbb-tide
Documentary19369 mins Location: Millport
Go with the flow: the marine life of Millport, Ayrshire, ingeniously filmed.
The HostellersThe Hostellers
Documentary196524 mins Location: Selby Canal
The 1960s and the peak of youth hostelling: hiking around the country, school trips, bunk beds, self-catering and crazy dancing to pop music.
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