Gudrun Parker

When Canada entered World War II, the National Film Board suddenly had an urgent new mission—and hundreds of women stepped forward, helping to create Canadian cinema as we now know it.

This short film depicts how a small Canadian city, bearing the name of Stratford and by a river Avon, created its own renowned Shakespearean theatre. The film tells how the idea grew, how a famous British director, international stars and Canadian talent were recruited, and how the Stratford Shakespearean Festival finally became a triumphant reality.

A documentary account of the five-week visit of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh to Canada and the United States in the fall of 1951. Stops on the royal tour include Québec City, the National War Memorial in Ottawa, the Trenton Air Force Base in Toronto, a performance of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Regina and visits to Calgary and Edmonton. The royal train crosses the Rockies and makes stops in several small towns. The royal couple boards HMCS Crusader in Vancouver and watches Native dances in Thunderbird Park, Victoria. They are then welcomed to the United States by President Truman. The remainder of the journey includes visits to Montreal, the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, a steel mill in Sydney, Nova Scotia and Portugal Cove, Newfoundland.

A study of the teacher's vital role in a child's development. Learning through natural curiousity in the pre-school years. Different types of teachers, the destructive effect of a short-tempered instructor on this natural curiosity; the wise teacher helping a troubled child to regain self-confidence.

Highlights of the 1951 visit of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh to Canada and the United States. - NFB

This film from the Second World War is a report on how Canadian women were trained to handle many kinds of work in the Canadian Women's Army Corps, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service. Basic training, everyday life in the forces and the contribution of women to Canada's fighting strength are illustrated.

This short film from the late 1950s looks at peer pressure among adolescents, using the example of a 13-year-old boy who collects butterflies. While the boy adores his passion, his friends laugh at him, making him question whether he should pursue his interest or conform to fit in with the crowd.

April comes to the prairie city of Winnipeg, and brings with it a great event - the Manitoba Musical Festival. Fifteen thousand boys and girls sing and play instruments with the same enthusiasm they bring to baseball. The climax of the festival is a concert with a program including Beethoven, and Gilbert and Sullivan. - NFB

The weekly newspaper is the cornerstone of many a town, the newspaper which is a reflection of the town's values and thoughts. Its editor is the newspaper personified. He is much like a civil servant, working for the people of the community. His editorial is the most personal yet widespread contact he has with the community. The letters to the editor are democracy in action. News from the other side of the globe, which could affect townsfolk, makes it way to them through the newspaper. These world stories are equally as important as the news from around the corner, which again is a reflection of the town. The newspaper's main revenue source is through advertising, which in a way is its own form of news.

This short documentary follows Manitoba's annual Musical Festival, profiling several of the young people whose talents made the festival a leading event in the Canada of the mid-20th century. Featuring boys' and girls' choirs, violin and piano solos, an excerpt from Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, and songs by a soprano and a contralto, the film is an idyllic and melodic portrait the prairies of over half a century ago. - NFB

A BAFTA award nominated documentary following the achievements of a young girl at the Toronto Opera School.

This short documentary offers an early example of the challenges faced by working mothers. As women entered the workforce in greater numbers during WWII, their young children were cared for by others. At day nurseries, trained staff supervised children’s meals, health and play. Toddlers are taught how to wash and dress themselves and to put their toys away tidily. The film is an intriguing portrait of the nascent mid-20th century world of work for women and their families. - NFB

Gudrun Bjerring Parker talks about directing documentaries at the NFB in the 1940s. Parker was one of the first women directors at NFB.

This film poses the question of whether an honest judgment is better than diplomatic double-talk in situations where an individual's feelings may be hurt.