This is a photograph

Canada, 1971

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Snapshot impressions of a European immigrant’s first five years in Canada. Brilliant and evocative use of photographs overlayed with his reactions to his adopted country, to the environment, and Canadian ways to which he must adjust. At first everything seems strange—the red brick houses, the glass skyscrapers, cars everywhere, stores stuffed with consumer goods—but gradually he becomes accustomed to calling the place home. Interesting use of music and sound effects which combine beautifully with the visuals (a sound montage). (Awards: Toronto; Venice.)

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Collection

In ACMI's collection

Credits

director

Albert Kish

producer

Tom Daly

production company

ONF | NFB

Duration

00:10:02:00

Production places

Canada

Production dates

1971

Collection metadata

ACMI Identifier

015295

Language

English

Subject categories

Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Film festivals - Canada - Toronto - Awards

Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Film festivals - Italy - Venice - Awards

Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Canada - Social life and customs

Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Immigrants - Canada

Crafts & Visual Arts → Photography - Themes, motives

Crafts & Visual Arts → Photography, Artistic

Documentary

Documentary → Documentary films - Canada

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Canada - Emigration and immigration

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Canada - Social conditions

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Cross-cultural studies

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Immigrants - Canada

Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Multiculturalism

Education, Instruction, Teaching & Schools → Cross-cultural studies

History → Immigrants - Canada

Short films

Short films → Short films - Canada

Sound/audio

Sound

Colour

Holdings

16mm film; Limited Access Print (Section 2)

16mm film; Access Print (Section 1)

Please note: this archive is an ongoing body of work. Sometimes the credit information (director, year etc) isn’t available so these fields may be left blank; we are progressively filling these in with further research.

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If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/77104--this-is-a-photograph/ |title=This is a photograph |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=18 June 2025 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}