Story: Arts funding and support

National Film Unit (2nd of 2)

Central government set up the National Film Unit (NFU) in 1941 to publicise New Zealand’s war effort. The NFU’s predecessor – set up in 1923 – had a tourism focus. The NFU was intended to inform New Zealanders about the activities of the state and other New Zealanders. It also provided training in film-making, as this clip shows, and became a source of staff for the new television stations set up in the four main urban centres in 1960 and 1961. Film making, itself an art form, also documented other arts; there are NFU films on the national orchestra, dance, architecture and photography.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: Exhibition loop. National Film Unit, 1947

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How to cite this page:

Martin Durrant, 'Arts funding and support - Government’s developing role', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/42983/national-film-unit (accessed 28 March 2024)

Story by Martin Durrant, published 22 Oct 2014