The Central Office of Information (COI) was established in April 1946 as a successor to the wartime Ministry of Information. It went on to produce and distribute thousands of films for use across Britain, the Commonwealth and the world. Many famous faces have passed through the portals of the COI including luminaries of the British documentary movement such as Paul Rotha, Humphrey Jennings and Lindsay Anderson and in later years the likes of Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire) and Peter Greenaway (The Draughtsman’s Contract) who spent 15 years there.
In the 1960s the UK Government, through the COI, produced a number of films for overseas distribution. Essentially designed to promote British industry and values abroad, Roundabout was one of the most popular of these cinemagazines, with its selection of topical stories for Asian markets.
The BFI has collected all the Roundabout films from 1963 to produce a unique and fascinating glimpse back to Britain and its place in the world 50 years ago. Consisting of over 30 films, highlights include a visit to the Royal Mint, a trip around a British Doll factory and a look at modern architecture in London, Djakarta and Saigon.
Extras
Newly remastered to High Definition from best available film materials
Illustrated booklet with essay and films notes by film archive experts
