NEW AUSTRALIAN FILM TO BE MADE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5317, 1 February 1947, Page 2

NEW AUSTRALIAN FILM TO BE MADE

EQUIVALENT TO AMERICAN "MARCH OF TIME." Mr. J. Arthur Rank, the English film magnate, is to make a decumentary film on Australias' • place in the post-war world.. . The film will he directed in Australia hy- Clifford Hornshy, top cameraman e.ngaged in malcing Mr. Rank's "This Modern Age" ,series of topical documentaries, which are now being issued inonthly and are the British equivalent of the American "March of Time." Hornby will leave for Australia shortly as a one-man unit to prepare and ma'ke the film, which will he completely factual. 'In Australia he will recruit an "Australian' team to wprk under his direction. The Australian Governments have promised to_ give him their support and offer him all faeilities. It is stated that the film will he & record of Australian development in the last 10 years, politically and industrially, and noj a record of the Commonwealth itself. It is planned to show . Whyalla. as an example of industrial growth and Canberra as one of

phlitical development. Against a background of 'Canberra and its personalities it is planned to emphasi&e the development of Australian political independence of Britain and there will he retrospects showing the nation during the threat of Japanese invasion, the actual "invasion" by British and American forces, the setting up of factories in hitherto pastoral areas and the opening up of the interior by strategic roads. A feature of the film will he the emphasis placed on Australia's relationship to the Far East and the tormation of its independent foreign policy. It is proposed to point out that Australia's relations with the Far East are equally as important as those of Canada to the United States. Finally, Hornby will shoot scenes showing Australians at play — theirc'haracteristic love of sport. The script has been written hy Australians— -by Paul Maguire, . a newspaperman, and by George Ivan Smith, who was formerly of the Australian Broadcasting Commission and who is j now associate producer and literary ! editor for "This Modern Age" series. I This will be Hornhy's seeond visit I to Australia. During the war he work-

ed as a cameraman with the N ava 1 Information Liaison Division and was based on Sydney t0 cover the Far East jampaign. "This Modern Age" series, the first three issues of which are now going to. Australia, have been highly praisea ay British critics for their clever and impartial presentation of topical proolems and aspects oF the post-wiar world.