On 1 November 2024 the Central Scotland Documentary Festival honoured John Grierson with the Stirling 900 Award for Achievement in Documentary recognising the huge contribution to filmmaking made by the ‘the father of documentary.’
Born in Stirling, John Grierson (1898-1972) coined the term documentary to describe the new genre of factual filmmaking in the 1920s. In a long and distinguished career as a filmmaker, producer and critic he provided a theoretical framework and practical inspiration to generations of filmmakers.
The Grierson Archive was deposited with the University of Stirling by his widow Margaret in 1977. It forms one of the foundations of the University Archives, its presence in Stirling attracting other major filmmaking collections including the papers of Norman McLaren and Lindsay Anderson, and the photographic archive of the Edinburgh Film Guild. The Grierson Archive also provided the stimulus for the establishment of the first Film & Media Department in a Scottish university – responsible for the education and training of generations of new filmmakers.
Today academics, researchers, artists and filmmakers continue to visit the University Archives to read, review and challenge Grierson’s seminal writings on documentary.
“The Stirling 900 Award recognises the continued relevance of the Grierson Archive alongside the lasting legacy of his films and wider work supporting the development of the documentary movement around the world. The University Archives is delighted to accept this award of on behalf of a true cinematic pioneer.”
Karl Magee, University Archivist
