Man of Aran
A portrait of the pioneer documentary film-maker Robert Flaherty
Robert Flaherty was born in Iron Mountain, Michigan, on 16 February 1884. He became one of the great pioneers of documentary cinema with such films as Nanook of the North and Louisiana Story. But perhaps he is best known for his finest film Man of Aran, a starkly realistic portrayal of life on the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, made 50 years ago in 1934. Flaherty is rightly regarded as one of the founding fathers of film documentary, but what were his particular achievements, and can his influence still be felt on today's documentary director? Christopher Cook assesses Flaherty's influence on the cinema, with contributions from his biographer
ARTHUR CALDER-MARSHALL , his cameraman JOHN TAYLOR , his editor JOHN MONCK and the film critic
CLANCY SIGAL
Producer JUDITH Elliott
(First broadcast on R Ulster)