Collection search - Donald Brittain Filmmaker

Record information – Brief

1

Donald Brittain Filmmaker

Item number (ISN):

214106

Hierarchical level:

Item (Accession level)

Date:

1992

Item number (ISN):

214106

Type of material:

Moving images

Found in:

Archives / Film, Video and Sound

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Record information – Details

Fonds/collection:

BRITTAIN, Donald

Accession:

1993-0198

Media:

Film

Part:

1 of 1

Production date:

1992

Production company:

National Film Board

Production credit:

director/script, Kent Martin; producer, Adam Symansky; photography, Kent Nason; editing, Hannele Halm; narrator, Douglas Rain

Description:

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The life and career of Donald Brittain, particularly his contribution to documentary filmmaking in Canada, is reviewed. Interviews, archival photos and footage, and narration by Douglas Rain provide background on Brittain's childhood, his university days, his marriage in 1950 to Barbara Tuer (accidentally killed in 1953), his early career as a writer/reporter for The Ottawa Journal and his second marriage in 1963 to Brigitte Halbig.~Brittain's creativity, his approach and dedication to filmmaking, his numerous awards, and his personality, including a serious drinking problem, are conveyed through interviews, narrative and footage of Brittain writing, directing and editing. Interview segments include Brittain's own wry self-assessment, comments by his wife Brigitte and by associates Tommy Van Dusen, Robert Huband, Roger Hart, Derek May, John Kemeny, Sean Moore, Soni Idelson, Marrin Canell, Adam Symansky, John N. Smith, Judith Merritt and Ann Medina.~Excerpts from documentaries Brittain produced for the NFB between 1954 and 1968 include "Fighting Fires for Science" (1958), the award-winning "Fields of Sacrifice" (1963),, "Ladies and Gentlemen: Mr. Leonard Cohen" (1965), "Memorandum" (1966) on German atrocities and the controversial documentary "Bethune" (1964).~Additional excerpts of Brittain's first freelance ventures include his contribution to the world's first IMAX film, "Tiger's Child" (1970) created for Expo '70 in Japan and the fiction feature "Fleur Bleue" (1970). Excerpts from freelance documentaries for the NFB and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation include: "Volcano: An Inquiry Into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry" (1976), "Paperland: The Bureaucrat Observed" (1979) and "The King Chronicle" (1988) completed just before Brittain's death in 1989. Noteworthy footage includes Brittain directing "Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga of Hal Banks" (1985), in which his use of dramatized segments marked an innovative approach to documentary film making. <93mn 52s>

Language:

English

Notes:

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1. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in association with Access Network.~2. Copyright NFB 1992.~3. The National Archives will eventually acquire the original production elements from the NFB.~4. This videotaped copy of the film is for reference purposes.~5. The papers of Donald Brittain are held by the Manuscript Division of the National Archives.

Detailed holdings information:

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Vault ISN:

217914

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

50969AV

Number of items:

1

Made from:

DEPOSIT

Status:

MASTER

Vault ISN:

1070118

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

214106.MXF

Number of items:

1

Made from:

50969AV

Status:

MASTER

Vault ISN:

1070119

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

214106.MP4

Number of items:

1

Made from:

50969AV

Status:

REF
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

Open

GENCAT identity number:

MSS 25439

Copyright status:

Under copyright

Copyright owner:

Copyright owner: the National Film Board.

Reproduction access:

with permission of National Film Board

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