Documentary

Faces of Scotland. Faces of Scotland was the very first Blu-ray to be released by a Scottish company.

Nine classic Scottish documentaries. All meticulously restored and transferred in high definition Blu-ray for stunning picture and sound quality. Almost three and a half hours of classic cinema.

As Britain entered the Second World War, film was an essential way of maintaining public morale and keeping the public informed about the progress in the war and The GPO Film Unit became the Crown Film Unit in 1940. Many other commercial film units including The Shell Film Unit, Paul Rotha Productions and BP turned their cameras to the war effort and countless "propaganda" films were produced for cinema release.

Scotland's X-Files is a compilation of rare films made in Scotland, culled from the Imperial War Museums Film Archives, presented with subtitles, and on DVD for the very first time.

From shipbuilding, trawlers and drifters, the Battle of the Atlantic, public information films, a fisherman using the Post Office Savings Bank to replace his lost boat, to a feature film about the demise of the fishing industry, we have them all.

Shortly after I produced a DVD of 24 Square Miles, directed by Kay Mander, I was approached by a film student, Adele Carroll, who had met Kay and produced a 45 minute documentary, One Continuous Take about her life and work. A long while after, and following almost 12 months of research, and sometimes agonising negotiations with half a dozen film archives, I produced One Continuous Take - The Kay Mander Filmbook, a 2-disc retrospective of Kay's life and work.

London Pride: A collection of rarely-seen films showing the effect of the Luftwaffe's Blitz on London and its people, and the plans for the post-war regeneration of the City and its public services. The opening film is London Can Take It, about Londoners under seige during the blitz, seen in the very rare American version. This film was narrated by American journalist Quentin Reynolds, and was instrumental in persuading the USA to support Britain during The Second World War.

We Forgot About Germany: How Britain ignored the gathering storm of Nazism and overcame the consequences.

A rare collection of seven public information films: The New Britain; From the Four Corners with Leslie Howard; The Dawn Guard with Bernard Miles; Words for Battle with Laurence Olivier; War and Order; West Indies Calling with Archie Lewis, Learie Constantine and Una Marson; and Night Shift.

A Different World from the 1986 Channel 4 series The Struggles for Poland, tells the story of Poland's Jews from 1919 to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising which began on April 19th 1943.

“A Different World  offers a nuanced and subtle look into interwar Poland and the relationship between Jews and Poles... I know of no other film that is as balanced, as comprehensive, as moving and as poignant. It is morally compelling that it be brought forth to 21st century audiences”.  Michael Berenbaum, Professor of Jewish Studies at the American Jewish University, author of The World Must Know.

“Raye Farr's fine documentary A Different World, paints the prewar scene vividly, using eyewitness interviews and authentic film; the images of Jewish life and presence are clear and memorable... Anyone seriously interested in the history of our times will want to see A Different World.” Sir Jeremy Isaacs, excecutive producer, The World at War.

A wonderful collection of war-time documentary shorts depicting the lives of women and children. Evacuees, land girls, factory workers bulding a bomber during their weekend, doughty countrywomen confronting Nazi paratroopers, and of course the Women's Institute are all here. Don't miss this one!

The establishment of the British Documentary Movement in the 1930s, led by John Grierson at the GPO Film Unit, showed the importance of film for communicating with the general public for whom a weekly visit to the cinema was a "must" for many families.

Grierson's reputation as a factual film maker, was further recognised in his native Scotland when he was asked by the fledgling Films of Scotland Committee, set up by the Scottish Office, to oversee the production of a series of films for the Empire Exhibition to be hosted by Glasgow in 1938.

Brian Cox's Jute Journey: Hollywood actor Brian Cox visits his home town of Dundee to learn of jute workers who emigrated to Kolkata. It's the big constant in his life.

Faces of Scotland: Nine restored films (seven on DVD edition) about Scotland's heritage. Includes Seawards the Great Ships, Scotland's first Oscar winner

Young in Heart: Five industrial films of Scotland, including the design of the Hillman Imp; Rivers at Work - Hydro-Electric schemes in the Highlands, narrated by John Grierson; and The Invergordon Smelter.