International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1930)

WORLD INTERESTS RELIGION. i i u i M It is well known that of recent times religious teaching and the propaganda of the Christian faith have had increasing recourse to the use of the film. In this issue of the Review we publish Richard Muckermann's interesting article on national and international Catholic activity in connection with the cinematograph. Not only Catholics, but the exponents of other Christian and nonChristian faiths also, are beginning to use the film to illustrate their religions, both for propaganda purposes and as a purely documentary means of diffusing a knowledge of the rites and customs of diverse religious faiths. We propose here to call attention to certain aspects of the question of religious films and to recent production in this domain (i). The question of the desirability or otherwise of the production of special films for the purposes of religion is being widely discussed at the present time both in the ecclesiastical and the lay world. As far as Catholics are concerned, it may be said unhesitatingly that film propaganda has a definite part in their programme of work. This is evidenced not only by articles of a general tenour published in the Catholic reviews, but by the existence of special Catholic cinematographic reviews : among others the German M. K. B. Film-Rundschau, of Essen, the French Reviews, Les Dossiers du Cinema and Le Fascinateur of Paris ; the Italian La Rivista del Cinematografo , of Milan, the American « Catholic Theater Movement » of New York, etc. It is also announced that the Dutch Central Catholic Cinematographic Company (F. 28, 48-49) has decided to publish a periodical dealing (1) In connection with recent religious films, cf. also the special « Religious Films » section published in the June to December (1029) numbers of the International Review, and more especially the article that appeared in our August issue. ingl. withfi lm problems. Catholics are convinced of the need of educating public opinion and of introducing laws to enforce specific measures to prevent the youth and the general public being harmed by the cinema. They realize that the film is a weapon of propaganda in the hands of their enemies, and that it is their duty to seek allies and to hold as big a stake as they can in the film industry. Mgr. Beaupin expressed himself to this effect in the Chronique Sociale de France of Lyons ; and the Munich International Congress (17-20 June 1929) no less than the Paris National Congress (the latter inaugurated by the « Cinema Mass » at the Madeleine church) of the 4th-7th November, 1929, entirely confirm his views. The formulation of principles on the Catholic cinema movement, the development of educational films and the creation of « family films », as also the use of broadcasting for the purposes of religious propaganda, were the main subjects discussed at both these congresses. Thus, following on the Paris and Munich Congresses, Walter Dirks in Germany, writing in the Volksbildung und Volksarbeit, of M. Gladbach CF. 11/56) and in Austria, Dr Beran, writing in the Reichspost, of Vienna, (F. 11/55), express the view that the mission of the Catholic Church, in the domain of the cinema as elsewhere, is not addressed solely to Catholics, but is wider and higher in its aims : the Catholic film should contribute to the education and recreation of all, without distinction of religious faith, because through the film and the radio the Church can descend into the lay world and appeal to the whole people, be they Catholic or otherwise, thus performing a work based on the essential force of faith which supports the life not of Catholics alone but of all religions. The echo of the Paris Catholic Congress resounded throughout the whole Catholic 6