John Grierson

Also Known As: 约翰·格里尔逊

Biography: John Grierson (1898–1972) was a pioneering Scottish filmmaker and producer who shaped the documentary film movement, earning recognition as the father of British and Canadian documentary cinema. He famously coined the term "documentary" in 1926 and championed the idea that film should serve as a tool for social education and reform. As the driving force behind the British documentary movement, he founded the GPO Film Unit, which produced groundbreaking works like Night Mail (1936), and later played a key role in establishing the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) in 1939, turning it into one of the world's most influential documentary institutions. Grierson’s vision and advocacy for documentary as a vehicle for public service and civic engagement left a lasting legacy on global nonfiction filmmaking.

Department: Production

Place of Birth: Kilmadock, Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK

Adult: No

Birthday: April 26, 1898

Age: 127 years old

Gender: Male

Deathday: February 19, 1972

Popularity:

1.00%

Known For:

Documenting John Grierson
The Face of Scotland
Creative Process: Norman McLaren
On the Fishing Banks of Skye
Night Mail
Rivers at Work
John Grierson
Hitchcock on Grierson
A Return to Memory