GPO Film Unit  

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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The GPO Film Unit was a subdivision of the UK General Post Office. The unit was established in 1933, based on the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit and was headed by John Grierson, and was set up to produce sponsored documentary films on a variety of subjects.

Among the films it produced Harry Watt's and Basil Wright's Night Mail (1936), featuring music by Benjamin Britten and poetry by W. H. Auden is the most famous. Directors who worked for the unit included Humphrey Jennings, Alberto Cavalcanti, Paul Rotha, Harry Watt and Basil Wright. Laurie Lee also worked as a scriptwriter in the unit from 1939-1940.

In 1940 the GPO Film Unit became the Crown Film Unit, under the control of the Ministry of Information.

In Autumn 2008 the British Film Institute issued a first collection of selected films from the Unit. Titled "Addressing The Nation", it comprises fifteen titles from the years 1933 to 1935. A second volume, "We Live In Two Worlds" was released in February 2009, with 22 films covering the period 1936 to 1938, and includes Night Mail. A third (and final) volume is in preparation.

Filmography

References

External links

See also

• Edgar Anstey
• Alberto Cavalcanti
• John Grierson
• Humphrey Jennings
• Stuart Legg
• Len Lye
• Norman Mclaren
• Lotte Reiniger
• Harry Watt
• Basil Wright