Scottish documentary filmmaker John Grierson is often referred to as “the father of documentary” for the important role he played in the development of nonfiction film during the first half of the 20th century. Grierson’s work earned him worldwide renown; ask any student of documentary film, and they will almost certainly know his name.
What is less well known, however, is that John Grierson’s sisters, Marion and Ruby, also made important contributions to documentary film with great talent and vision. Starting their careers as their brother’s assistants, Marion and Ruby produced boundary-pushing documentaries throughout the 1930s and early 1940s. Until recently, however, their work remained largely in the shadow of their brother’s legacy; their stories found no place in the narratives of film history, and their films were rarely screened.
Jointly devised by Invisible Women and the Scottish Documentary Institute, this curation brings together the work of Scottish women documentary makers spanning almost a century. Taking the story of the Grierson siblings as their starting point, these films show how the sisters’ legacy has echoed over time. Experimental aesthetics, hybrid forms, and themes focusing on invisible labor, lost histories and untold women’s stories recur throughout the selection, forging unexpected links between the past and the present.
Northern Outpost
Jenny Brown and CJ Cayley, 1940, 15 min.
Elegantly filmed by Jenny Brown (later Gilbertson), the film offers a warm, inviting introduction to the landscapes and traditions of the Shetland Islands.
Beside the Seaside
Marion Grierson, 1935, 23 min.
In this charming cinematic postcard, Marion Grierson experiments with innovative film techniques to capture a sun-drunk day on the British seaside.
Water to the Wall
Becky Manson, 2025, 13 min.
Set in the Orkney Islands, the film paints a portrait over time of an island community whose life has always been shaped by the sea.
Portrait of Ga
Margaret Tait, 1952, 4 min.
Often underappreciated during her lifetime, Orcadian artist Margaret Tait is today recognized as one of Scotland’s most important experimental filmmakers.
They Also Serve
Ruby Grierson, 1940, 8 min.
In this dramatized documentary, Ruby Grierson presents an empathetic and touching story centered on the hardships faced by a housewife in wartime.
The Sound of the Wind
Maria Pankova, 2023, 17 min.
A Ukrainian refugee living in Scotland tries to reconcile her new life with the experiences of her husband, who is serving on the front line thousands of kilometers away.