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
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Documenting John Grierson

Overview: The life and work of the documentary pioneer.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2014-02-28
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The Face of Scotland

Overview: The history of Scotland and the factors that have shaped the character of its people.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-05-04
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Creative Process: Norman McLaren

Overview: Norman McLaren was a cinematic genius who made films without cameras, and music without instruments. He produced sixty films in a stunning range of styles and techniques, collecting over 200 international awards, and world recognition. In Creative Process, director Donald McWilliams demystifies the process of artistic creation. Drawing on McLaren's private film vaults, a gold mine of experimental footage and uncompleted films, McWilliams explores McLaren's methods, including his celebrated "pixillation" technique, and his daring forays into animated surrealism.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1990-01-01
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On the Fishing Banks of Skye

Overview: Short documentary about a trawler fishing for hake.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1935-09-06
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Night Mail

Overview: This documentary short examines the special train on which mail is sorted, dropped and collected on the run, and delivered in Scotland on the overnight run from Euston, London to Glasgow.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1936-01-13
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Rivers at Work

Overview: A look at how Scotland's water is being used to bring power to the Highlands.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1958-01-01
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John Grierson

Overview: A BFI-produced documentary about documentary filmmaker John Grierson speaking about documentary.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1959-10-01
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Hitchcock on Grierson

Overview: Legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock pays tribute to the "father of the documentary", John Grierson, exploring what made his work so extraordinary and influential.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
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A Return to Memory

Overview: When Canada entered World War II, the National Film Board suddenly had an urgent new mission—and hundreds of women stepped forward, helping to create Canadian cinema as we now know it.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2024-10-17
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