GPO Film Unit
The GPO Film Unit was a subdivision of the UK General Post Office. The unit was established in 1933, taking on responsibilities of the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit. Headed by John Grierson, it was set up to produce sponsored documentary films mainly related to the activities of the GPO.

Among the films it produced were Harry Watt's and Basil Wright's "Night Mail" (1936), featuring music by Benjamin Britten and poetry by W. H. Auden, which is the best known. Directors who worked for the unit included Humphrey Jennings, Alberto Cavalcanti, Paul Rotha, Harry Watt, Basil Wright and a young Norman McLaren. Poet and memoirist Laurie Lee also worked as a scriptwriter in the unit from 1939–1940.

In 1940 the GPO Film Unit became the Crown Film Unit, under the control of the Ministry of Information.

In Autumn 2008 the British Film Institute issued a first collection of selected films from the Unit. Titled "Addressing The Nation", it comprises fifteen titles from the years 1933 to 1935, including "Song of Ceylon". A second volume, "We Live In Two Worlds" was released in February 2009, with 22 films covering the period 1936 to 1938, and includes "Night Mail". A third (and final) volume, "If War Should Come", appeared in July 2009 and includes "London Can Take It!"
Q145
UK
LOC
Q1325334
General Post Office
ORG
Q5374099
Empire Marketing Board
ORG
Q1700285
John Grierson
PER
Q1637771
Harry Watt
PER
Q810048
Basil Wright
PER
Q943563
Night Mail
MEDIA
Q150767
Benjamin Britten
PER
Q178698
W. H. Auden
PER
Q352565
Humphrey Jennings
PER
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Alberto Cavalcanti
PER
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Paul Rotha
PER
Q1637771
Harry Watt
PER
Q810048
Basil Wright
PER
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Norman McLaren
PER
Q976071
Laurie Lee
PER
Q5189359
Crown Film Unit
ORG
Q821726
Ministry of Information
ORG
Q260528
British Film Institute
ORG
Q2414330
Song of Ceylon
MEDIA
Q943563
Night Mail
MEDIA
Q1868902
London Can Take It!
MEDIA
Q1337744
GPO Film Unit
ORG
Q1337744
GPO Film Unit
ORG
1933-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1933
DATE
1939-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1939
DATE
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1940
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2008
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1933-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1933
DATE
1935-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1935
DATE
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February 2009
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1936-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1936
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1938-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1938
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July 2009
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1936
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1940
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22
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