Celebrating the art, style, and history of the men and women that recorded our nation's cinematic past.

History - Page 2

Rosemary Bergeron – Canadian Film History Pioneer

It is with a very sad and heavy heart to announce the passing of a much loved, and respected friend of the Canadian Film Archival community; Rosemary Bergeron, January 9th,…

January 10, 2023

History

The Origin of Motion Picture Production in Canada

Introduction When people are asked to define Canadian film-making, or give an example of a distinctive Canadian style, many cite the work of the National Film Board. Peter Morris has…

January 10, 2022

History·People·Pioneers

George H. Valiquette, Pioneer Canadian Newsreel Cinematographer

George H. Valiquette, pioneer Canadian newsreel cinematographer, risked his life to get footage of the flooding Ottawa River in April 1922. At the time he was the cameraman for the…

January 7, 2022

Books·History·People

The Movie Years: Trenton, Ontario, 1917-1934

One wonders what life in Trenton, Ontario might have been like today had predictions made in the early part of the 20th century come true. For Trenton was to be…

September 29, 2021

Animation·History

Before McLaren: Canadian Animation in the Silent Film Era (1910 – 1927)

"Fryer envisioned Shadowlaughs in the ancient traditions of Chinese shadow play and the contemporary traditions of European filmmakers like Sarg and Lotte Reiniger. The two-part film Follow the Swallow was…

August 19, 2021

History·Pioneers

The Perfect Order of a Canadian Crowd: Cinema in Ottawa, 1894-1896

When projected moving pictures appeared for the first time in Ottawa during the summer of 1896, they were not greeted with the sort of uncomprehending astonishment suggested by some historical…

April 18, 2017

History·Pioneers

Port Arthur Amateur Cinema Society: Lady Lumberjack

The film, Sleep-Inn Beauty, presented by the Amateur Cinema Society, was directed by Harold Harcourt, from a story adapted by M. Dorothea Mitchell.…

April 5, 2017

History·People·Pioneers

CANADIAN NEWSREELS: A Personal Reminiscence by Gordon Sparling

I never really worked directly in the newsreel side of film-making, so my knowledge of the Canadian newsreels has been picked up along the way.…

September 5, 2016

History·Pioneers

Norman Gunn: Recollections

Since retiring from the motion picture industry in 1964, I am frequently being asked by young movie enthusiasts how they can get into the business.…

March 4, 2016

History·People·Pioneers

The History of Crawley Films

Crawley Films was spawned by a young swimmer’s wish to improve his swimming ability and the fortuitous fact that two particular families moved into neighbouring houses on the Queen Elizabeth…

December 3, 2015

History·People

Frederick Conway Edmonds

Frederick Conway Edmonds of Lindsay, Ontario, was one of the first travelling showmen in Canada. Born in England on June 2, 1850, he had come to Canada as a young…

November 12, 2015