This film is part of Free
Sir John Laing Missionary Films Madras & Ceylon
Rare amateur footage of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka
Overview
Sir John Laing, heir to the Laing construction firm, was a deeply religious man. Several amateur films were taken documenting his missionary trips to South Asia. This film covers missions in parts of what is now the Indian state of Tamil Nadu (including Udagamandalam, or Ootacamund, and Coimbatore/Kovai) and what is now Sri Lanka and is a valuable visual record of people and places visited by Sir John (several times seen in the film).
Related
Villenour. (French India: Territory of Pondicherry) Villenour. (French India: Territory of Pondicherry)
Travelogue 1914 4 mins Silent
Gorgeously dreamlike colour images of (then) French India – present-day Puducherry
Uti 1925 Uti 1925
Amateur film 1925 15 mins Silent
Snapshots of colonial life around Tamil Nadu, plus a visit to the Toda tribe
Houseboating in Waltair Houseboating in Waltair
Amateur film 1926 13 mins Silent
The Uzielli family takes to the water in Visakhapatnam, southern India
Dancers at Trivandrum Gopinath Dancers at Trivandrum Gopinath
Amateur film 1946 7 mins Silent
Kathakali performance featuring the great Indian dancer Guru Gopinath, filmed in remarkable colour by ‘envoy of the Raj’ Clarmont Skrine
Cochin and Malarax Cochin and Malarax
Amateur film 1930 18 mins Silent
Amateur film capturing life and buildings in and around Kochi, in Kerala, south-west India.
Street Scenes in India: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 1 Street Scenes in India: Colonel Alexander Personal Film 1
Amateur film 1935 9 mins Silent
From the arrival of a new viceroy to street markets, this amateur film captures the diversity of life in colonial India
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.