Fruitlands of Kent

The orchards ripen and a Kentish summer blossoms on film.

As the orchards come alive with berries, cherries, apples and plums, a Kentish summer blossoms on film. The appealing images in this short film contrast markedly with the utilitarian narration, which takes us through eight months of fruit growing and harvesting, from March to September. Produced as a geography teaching aid, it explains the season's fieldwork, centred on picking by hand, in informative detail and outlines the roles of men and women within the process.

Gaumont-British Instructional was the key producer of films aimed at the classrooms of the 1930s. The Regional Geography series was one of their major projects and was highly regarded by forward-thinking educationalists of the day. Like much of the company's work, Fruitlands of Kent has a spartan soundtrack of dry, deliberately paced commentary, but applies it to beautifully crafted images that still feel fresh. Every shot here is staged and framed with remarkable care and precision - together they create an evocative impression of a long-gone summer.