Documentary News Letter (1944-1945)

70 DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER FEDERATION FOR FILM SOCIETIES By H. Forsyth Hardy Several attempts have been made over the fifteen years to form a federation of film societies. I recall a conference at Leicester in, I think, 1933. It began bright with promise and ended dully with something like despair after hour after hour had been talked away. Disappointed by the absence of any spirit of unity, the Scottish societies went off and formed their own Federation which has maintained since then a sturdy growth and has been a source of stimulus to the movement in the North. Again there is talk of federation in the air, and it seems likely that there will emerge an organisation similar to Scotland's for England and Wales, with perhaps a Joint Committee for combined action when necessary. I believe that there is a strong case for both the federation and the committee. A federation for societies in England and Wales will bring immediate benefits and a general strengthening of the movement. Co-operation with the Scottish Federation would enable certain services to be operated which would be possible only if all the societies acted together. To consider first the narrow issue : what can a federation do? Some of the results achieved by the Federation of Scottish Film Societies were recently set out by Norman Wilson, Chairman of the Edinburgh Film Guild: — It has set up a centralised booking system, first through its own booking agent in London and latterly through the British Film Institute. It has provided for all its constituent societies an information service and, by means of its quarterly meetings held in rotation in different parts of the country, an exchange of ideas and experience. It has obtained direct representation (with three delegates) on the Scottish Film Council, the co-ordinating organisation under the British Film Institute for film activities in Scotland. It has been able to speak on behalf of all societies and on occasion has negotiated with the trade, both renters and exhibitors, on behalf of its constituent members. It has held annual previews (before the war in London, at present in Glasgow) so that societies might have an opportunity of viewing suitable films. It has assisted societies in difficulties and has stimulated the formation of new societies. It has published its own organ, Film Forum, with a service of information on features and shorts. It is reasonable to suggest that if these services were offered by a federation to film societies in England and Wales, similar results would be achieved. Federation does not mean the loss of independence nor the imposition of control from the centre. Each film society is free to adapt itself to the needs of the community it serves. The whole basis is one of mutual assistance in the achievement of a common aim. I believe that, with a Federation of Film Societies in England and Wales, the movement will rapidly regain the impetus it had in the pre-war years. I understand that at present the total number of film societies south of the Border is only about a score. There are dozens of cities and towns which ought to be able to support flourishing societies. A federation would not attempt to force the formation of a society on a community; but it would make certain that any organisation struggling into being received advice and assistance at the moment these were most needed. With organisations operating on both sides of the Border, certain efforts could be made on a joint basis. There are questions such as Entertainment Tax and negotiations with trade organisations where it would be an advantage if the film society movement could speak with one voice. The movement is now almost twenty years old : it can reasonably claim recognition as something more than a passing phase. The chief benefit which would come from joint action, however, would be the means to improve the film supply position. In the early days of the movement the London Film Society acted as an agent for the import of experimental work from many parts of the world. Some of the films were subsequently shown at the specialised cinemas but this was not a necessary condition for their importation. Now there is no organisation doing this work. Joint action by strongly established federations in England and Scotland would make it possible to resume the importing of avant-garde films with an interest for film societies. During the war the field for search is limited; but later there should be no tendency to confine it to France and Russia. Some of the most spirited and individualistic work has come out of Sweden and Holland and Czechoslovakia in the past — and may come again. Mexico and the Latin American countries are producing films of which we see nothing in this country. No films reach us from China and India. The most successful French and Russian films will continue to come into this country through channels now well established; but for the others it will not be enough for the societies to stand and wait.' The film society movement is at a turning point in its development. There is a real opportunity, through combined action, for a strong step forward. Film Society News Edinburgh Film Guild opened the second part of the season with a programme devoted to life in Holland. The twentieth century was represented by New Earth, Tulips Shall Grow and The Dutch Tradition, followed by the period comedy La Kermesse Herolque. A later programme was specially composed to the theme of Dance and Ballet in Films and included Dance of the Harvest, Kathak and a ballet sequence from Dance Pretty Lady. Steel and Out of Chaos were shown with The Forgotten Village at the March performance. Belfast Film Institute has shown Capra's Battle of Russia with The Forgotten Village and Le Jour Se Leve and Out of Chaos for their last two repertory shows of the season. Irish Film Society's Monthly Bulletin announces that five programmes have been booked, including Film and Reality, Song of Ceylon. Children of the City, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligaii, the Last Laugh and Mother. \v ith lectures on films criticism and film-making completing their plans for the first season. Dundee and St. Andrews Film Society has shown Battle of Britain and Blue Angel, and for the last performance of the season, Duvivier's Heart of a Nation and Some Like it Rough. Manchester and Salford Society has suppl mented its 1945 programmes with Film Fom discussions on "Film amd Film Societies "Freedom of the Screen" and "Future Poli. and Programme." The second opened v. ith a address by Ellis Smith, m.p. SCIENTIFIC FILM ASSOCIATION The Scientific Film Association has now operu a branch in the North of England under 11 secretaryship of Mr. John Maddison, Creske Villas, Arthington, near Leeds. Scientific filii societies have been, or are being, started m Leeds, Doncaster, Sheffield, Manchester, Hui dersfield and Hull. In Leeds special medical filii shows are being organised, and the local brand" of N.A.T.K.E. is considering running Sunday morning shows of scientific films for thei members. Correspondence Alberto Cavalcanti has received the followin\ letter from J. Bellini who, having created in preFascist days a Documentary Film Company Italy, made for his first production a most remark able and moving account of the peasant pitgriinai in the Abruzzi Mountains: — DEAR CAVALCANTI, I wanted to answer your letter before but eoul not do so. I met Pat Jackson who had begun telling rr about the important development of documen ary in England when we were interrupted by h departure. So for me the picture remains incon plete ; yet not quite so much as to keep away on doubt from me. Is documentary, throughout many evolutions, drifting from its origin nature? My fear is probably due to my deep lc for G.P.O. documentary — or perhaps to a kir of "stiffness" one gets after so many years waiting and silence. I would like to tell you about what is going or over here. There is confusion and, after tin acquisition of liberty — the gift which was offer us after twenty years of suppression — very litt liberality. But it would be all too long an difficult to put in a letter. I will tell you mot about it when we meet again. Meanwhile my friends and I are anxious I do all that we can to arouse an interest in doc* mentaries among the Italian public. We shou! be most grateful for any advice or help that yc can give. Documentaries — in the widest sense of tl : word — have been ignored over here. For yea i all that we were shown were Italian and Germ* propaganda films: never anything from at other country. My own little documentary* v\a suppressed immediately after its Venice showinf and is still lying and waiting. Our native industry has reached a cri>* During the Fascist regime economic an| political privilege and the abnormal situation markets alone made its existence possible. Sir the liberation, foreign films, chiefly Amerii have reappeared on the market. Italian d> mentaries and shorts have been forbidden and with the single exception of nevvsreels — not ev foreign documentaries are shown. At the beginning the P.W.B. made one or two d mentaries and. 1 understand, has others in couri of preparation besides some special doc» mentaries about political events which are ni to be shown to our public. Could it be possibk *Peasant Pilgrimage.