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World War II (4)

  • Headline Hunters
    Headline Hunters
    1945 11 min
    This short film from 1945 demonstrates how broadcasters and journalists relayed war news back to Canada. It includes glimpses of the complex organization behind them - the military PR directors, the censors, dispatch riders, engineers and the Canadian Press and British United Press offices.
  • Shameless Propaganda
    Shameless Propaganda
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    Robert Lower 2014 1 h 11 min
    This feature documentary examines its own genre, which has often been called Canada's national art form. Released in the year of the NFB's 75th birthday, Shameless Propaganda is filmmaker Robert Lower's take on the boldest and most compelling propaganda effort in our history (1939-1945), in which founding NFB Commissioner John Grierson saw the documentary as a "hammer to shape society". All 500 of the films produced by the NFB until 1945 are distilled here for the essence of their message to Canadians. Using only these films and still photos from that era, Lower recreates the picture of Canada they gave us and looks in it for the Canada we know today. What he finds is by turns enlightening, entertaining, and unexpectedly disturbing.
  • Shameless Propaganda: Part 1 (Educational Version)
    Shameless Propaganda: Part 1 (Educational Version)
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    Robert Lower 2014 36 min
    Some have called the documentary Canada’s national art form. If it is, the foundations of that art were laid by the National Film Board of Canada in the first six years of its existence, 1939–45, under the inspired vision and watchful eye of John Grierson, its first Commissioner. Released in the year of the NFB’s 75th birthday, Shameless Propaganda is filmmaker Robert Lower’s take on the greatest and most compelling propaganda effort in our history. Lower has watched the films produced by the NFB up until 1945—all 500 of them—and distilled the essence of their message to Canadians. Using only these films and still photos from that era, Lower recreates the picture of Canada they gave us and looks in it for the Canada we know today. What he finds is by turns enlightening, entertaining, and unexpectedly disturbing. Part 1 of a 2 episode Educational series.
  • Shameless Propaganda: Part 2 (Educational Version)
    Shameless Propaganda: Part 2 (Educational Version)
    We're sorry, this content is not available in your location.
    Robert Lower 2014 36 min
    Some have called the documentary Canada’s national art form. If it is, the foundations of that art were laid by the National Film Board of Canada in the first six years of its existence, 1939–45, under the inspired vision and watchful eye of John Grierson, its first Commissioner. Released in the year of the NFB’s 75th birthday, Shameless Propaganda is filmmaker Robert Lower’s take on the greatest and most compelling propaganda effort in our history. Lower has watched the films produced by the NFB up until 1945—all 500 of them—and distilled the essence of their message to Canadians. Using only these films and still photos from that era, Lower recreates the picture of Canada they gave us and looks in it for the Canada we know today. What he finds is by turns enlightening, entertaining, and unexpectedly disturbing. Part 2 of a 2 episode Educational series.