Canada's War: The Lost Colour Archives

[Yap Films]

I am a researcher working on "Canada's War: The Lost Colour Archives". The television series looks at WWII from a Canadian perspective, using only colour film footage. In total, the project will entail three x one hour documentaries, which will be screened nationally on the CBC, in June, 2004, to help commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day. The series is being produced by YAP Films, a Toronto documentary production company.

Many Canadians had their own colour home movie cameras starting in the mid thirties. Much of the footage we'll be using has been stored in archives across the country and around the world, largely unseen by the general public. We're also looking for films sitting in people's basements and attics -- forgotten reels of 16mm or 8mm colour film, shot from 1937 to 1946.

We are of course, eager to see footage shot of life and action overseas, but also here in Canada. Any footage from the war years might well be of interest to this project -- it could be shots of ships in the harbour, a gas station with its gas pumps padlocked during rationing, training exercises, footage of parades, sporting events during the war years between various military teams, Victory Gardens, holiday and birthday celebrations, street scenes and daily life, etc.... film that reflects this period of history, as long as it’s shot in colour!

We are also looking for letters and diaries written during the war to accompany the footage as narration.

Please feel free to pass my contact information on to anyone. I have attached our flyer. I can be reached by phone at 416 504-6662 x237 and we also have a toll free number for anyone outside the Toronto area- 1-866-WAR-FILM- 1-866-927-3456.