This book is the first to bring together the most important material by and on the documentary film movement which has laid the foundations of British national film culture. It includes generous selections from the work of John Grierson as well as writings by Paul Rotha, Humphrey Jennings, Alberto Cavalcanti and Basil Wright. Each section is accompanied by short commentaries. A full introduction examines the historical development of the documentary film movement between 1927 and 1950, the types of films made by the movement, its relationship to other British film genres and to contemporary debates on British national cinema. An accessible, comprehensive and illuminating source book for courses on Documentary Film and the History of British Cinema.