For Sama (2019)John Grierson, the founder of the 1930s British documentary movement, is sometimes referred to as the father of British documentary, credited with coining the term ‘documentary’. However, from the outset there were pivotal female influences on the genre, including Grierson’s sisters Ruby and Marion, filmmakers in their own right.
Ruby Grierson challenged her brother John: “The trouble with you is that you look at things as though they were in a goldfish bowl. I’m going to break your goldfish bowl.” Ruby Grierson went ahead and smashed the glass and along with the achievements of other pioneering female documentary makers helped pave the way to break, not only the goldfish bowl, but the glass ceiling. Today most leading documentarians in Britain are women.
The Camera Is Ours: Britain’s Women Documentary Makers is a major new BFI project which aims to raise the visibility of women working at the heart of documentary, and celebrate the often-unsung names of women who have helped shape the genre and tell stories that reflect the world we live in. From the female pioneers of the 1930s to the rich contemporary scene, the history of British women in documentary tells a strong and vibrant story of an industry where female voices have always excelled. This new project showcases 10 new film restorations from the BFI National Archive alongside a compelling contemporary programme, in venue at BFI Southbank, on BFI DVD and BFI Player.
Spanning nine decades, The Camera Is Ours season at BFI Southbank (3 to 15 March) has films that reveal the impact of war on families, examine housing conditions, expose barriers against inclusive societies: proving that both then and now there have always been women on the frontline, helping to communicate essential stories of everyday life.
Central to the project are 10 new digital restorations from the BFI National Archive, supported by The Film Foundation with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. Two archive programmes (3 March, 18:15, NFT3; 14 March, 18:15, NFT3) beautifully capture the story of some of the key female pioneers of the British documentary movement beginning in the 1930s and culminating in the late 1960s. The programme includes films by Ruby (They Also Serve, 1940), and Marion Grierson (Beside the Seaside, 1935), Jill Craigie (Children of the Ruins, 1948), Mary Field (King Penguins, 1938), Muriel Box (The English Inn, 1941) Kay Mander (homes for the People, 1945), Sarah Erulkar (Something Nice to Eat, 1967), Evelyn Spice (Behind the Scenes, 1938) Margaret Thomson (The Troubled Mind, 1954) and Brigid ‘Budge’ Cooper (Birth-Day, 1945).
The Camera Is Ours season also features an engaging contemporary selection of films from women working in the genre today. Special guests include Andrea Arnold with her documentary debut, Cow (8 March, 20:40, NFT3) , a thought-provoking and empathetic intimate portrait of Luma, a dairy cow and Waad Al-Kateab’s BAFTA-winning For Sama, a record of a young mother’s experiences during the war in Syria (3 March, 20:30, NFT3).
Hostile director Sonita Gale will be in conversation with journalist Jon Snow to discuss the personal testimonies of the migrant experience in the UK at the heart of her new film (15 March, 18:00, NFT3). There is also a seniors’ free archive matinee of the award-winning White Riot and discussion with Rubika Shah about her portrait of the Rock Against Racism Movement (7 March, 14:00, NFT3).
First time filmmaker Lizzie MacKenzie presents The Hermit of Treig (11 March, 18:10, NFT3) her meditative observational portrait of a remote rural life in the Highlands and a profound spiritual relationship with the wilderness, developed with support from The Whickers, the charitable foundation set up as part of Alan Whicker’s legacy to fund the next generation of documentary makers.
“Women have been pivotal to British documentary filmmaking since the 1930s,” said Ros Cranston, curator of non-fiction, BFI National Archive. “The BFI is thrilled to shine a spotlight on the stylish, enlightening and witty films made by these overlooked female pioneers. Their films used groundbreaking techniques, applied to wide-ranging subject matter – from natural history, housing and mental health to cookery and the English pub. It’s great to be able to showcase our new restorations alongside work by contemporary women directors, who are developing the art of documentary today — following in the footsteps of their invisible ancestors.”
The Camera Is Ours is contextualised in a study day at BFI Southbank (Saturday 5 March, 12:00 to 17:00 NFT3), with experts exploring the careers of directors whose work have been restored as part of this season. The day includes a Q&A screening of Lizzie Thynne and Hollie Price’s new feature documentary, Independent Miss Craigie, featuring recently discovered letters, archive clips and photos to tell the story of Jill Craigie, one of the first British women to direct. A joint ticket for this event is available with Penny Woolcock’s unique collaboration with band Sea Power, From the Sea to the Land and Beyond (5 March, 18:15, NFT3), a lyrical portrait of Britain’s coastline using film from the BFI National Archive and commissioned music by Sea Power.
A free exhibition, Jill Craigie: Film Pioneer, guest curated by director Lizzie Thynne with support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and The University of Sussex will be available to view at the Mezzanine gallery from 3 March. In the 1940s Jill Craigie tackled subjects new to cinema in a unique blend of documentary, drama and, frequently, humour. One of the most photographed directors of her time, she was dubbed ‘Britain’s first woman filmmaker’ by the press, while she herself championed community voices and performers. Displaying material from the BFI National Archive this exhibition includes works by leading photographers Lee Miller and Fred Daniels, to explore what made Craigie and her working methods unique.
Expanding on the BFI Southbank season, a new Mediatheque collection spotlights women’s often overlooked contribution to British documentary filmmaking more widely, showcasing both big and small-screen documentaries that explore the creativity and innovation that women directors have contributed to the genre from the 1930s to the present day.
A BFI 2-disc DVD set, The Camera Is Ours: Britain’s Women Documentary Makers, will be released on 28 March. The DVD set includes a selection of the recent BFI restorations and others with films made between 1935 and 1967 as well as Lizzie Thynne’s feature documentary Independent Miss Craigie plus an illustrated booklet featuring essays on the films by a range of filmmakers, experts and authors including Penny Woolcock, Molly Dineen, Lilian Crawford, Reba Martin, Carol Morley, Patrick Russell, Jeanie Finlay, Lizzie Thynne, Katy McGahan and Girish Shambu.
To complement the BFI Southbank season and DVD release themed BFI Player collections publishing a collection of free archive films that will include other works by the featured filmmakers and also a subscription collection of contemporary works from other acclaimed female names working in documentary, including films from Kim Longinotto, Molly Dineen and Carol Morley. Available on BFI Player from 3 March.
