The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
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Water Cure
Peaceful moments and family memories of holidays on the Norfolk Broads, whether powered by a gentle breeze or by the hum of a diesel engine.
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Overview
J.D. Butcher, known by his middle name Douglas, was an accomplished amateur filmmaker from Essex. He made both live action and animated short films and his film, “Water on the Brain”, was the ‘first time entrant’ winner in the 1955 Competition of the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers. Notable animations include ‘Mr Putty Takes the Stage’ and ‘Plastic Platitudes’.
The Broads is a 303-square kilometre national park formed by a network of over 200 kilometres of natural waterways in Norfolk and Suffolk, though the area is often referred to as the ‘Norfolk Broads’. The wider expanses of water, hence ‘the broads’, are usually less than five metres in depth and were formed by the flooding of medieval peat workings around 1100 – 1200 A.D. The network boasts thirteen navigable broads connected by seven rivers. The Broads have been a popular holiday destination since the ends of the 19th century and by the 1980s there were well over 2,000 sailing and motor cruisers available for hire, but this has declined in recent years – a factor that has benefited the wildlife of the area.
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