Films
Studio and Film Director at TWW (Bristol and Cardiff) 1961–1963
1962–63
Wales and the West (TWW 20 × 15')
with John Betjeman: portraits of Northlew and Swindon; Sidmouth; Sherbourne; Devizes; Chippenham and Crewkerne; Clevedon; Marlborough; Bath; Weston-super-Mare; Malmesbury; (all repeated on Channel Four in 1995–96 and marketed by HTV as The Lost Betjemans and Betjeman Revisited)
with Gwyn Thomas: portraits of Laugherne; Rhonda; Neath; a Comprehensive School; and others.
1963
Hot Spot – Cannes Film Festival with Gwyn Thomas.
Producer/Director with the BBC (London and Bristol) 1963–1990
1963
Two months on Tonight with Fife Robertson.
1964–66
for Footprints (BBC2 6 × 30'):
The Lean and Foolish Knight – Don Quixote in La Mancha, consultant Rafael Nadal.
By the Waters of Leman – Byron and Shelley at Geneva, scripted by Anthony Burgess.
The Ugly Duckling – Hans Christian Anderson in Denmark.
Henry the Navigator (first film in colour) – Prince Henry in Portugal.
A Don in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll in Oxford.
The Finest Work in England – Isambard Kingdom Brunel, scripted in verse by John Betjeman.
Road to a Legend – T. E. Lawrence in Syria in 1909, scripted by Anthony Jay.
1966
for World of a Child (BBC2 3 × 30'):
David Rolt (child at preparatory school – Cothill House, Abingdon)
Anne Marie (child in care – Convent of the Good Shepherd, Edinburgh)
Laurence (child in hospital – St Mary’s Children’s Hospital, Carshalton Beeches).
1967–68
In Need of Special Care (BBC2 2 × 60'):
1. Camphill School, Aberdeen – for children with special needs. (Awarded British Film Academy ‘Robert Flaherty Award’ for best documentary in 1968, and nominated for ‘United Nations Award’.)
2. Botton Village, Yorkshire – a Camphill Community for adults with special needs. (Also nominated for British Film Academy ‘United Nations Award’.)
1968
The Fall of the House of Hapsburg: the years 1848–1918 (BBC2 50') – scripted by Edward Crankshaw.
1969
Gandhi’s India (BBC2 60') – biography in the centenary year of Gandhi’s birth, with E.F. Schumacher; co-scripted with Hallam Tennyson.
1970
Education – for the series What Sort Of World Do We Want? (BBC2 50').
1971
The Story of Carl Gustav Jung (BBC1 3 × 30') – biography, written and presented by Laurens van der Post.
1972
Tolstoy – from Riches to Rags (BBC1 75') – biography, co-scripted with Theodore Roszak.
1973
In Defence of the Stork (BBC1 30') – connections between embryology and the story of creation in the book of Genesis, with Camphill’s Dr Thomas Weihs.
Thank God it’s Sunday (BBC1 2 × 30') – how Londoners spend their Sundays, written and presented by John Betjeman. (Repeated in 1995 on BBC-1 Everyman as one 50 minute programme, introduced by Alan Bennett).
1973
Away in a Village (BBC1 3 × 30') – Cerne Abbas in Dorset, preparing for Christmas.
1973–74
All Africa Within Us (BBC2 50') – for World About Us, Bristol; an exploration of Bushman mythology, filmed in southern Africa, written and presented by Laurens van der Post.
1974–75
Yamamoto (BBC1 50') – for The Commanders; biography of the Commander of the Japanese navy in World War II, scripted by Correlli Barnett.
A Passion for India (BBC2 50') – for One Pair of Eyes; Lady Betjeman (Penelope Chetwode ) exploring the hill temples of the Himalayas.
1975–76
‘As a man is so he sees’ (BBC2 50') – for One Pair of Eyes; Sir Bernard Lovell reflecting on the limitations of science through his own biography.
Summoned by Bells (BBC1 50') – John Betjeman’s verse autobiography of his childhood.
1976–78
Associate Producer on The Long Search (BBC2 13 × 50') – a worldwide exploration of people’s search for faith and meaning, written and presented by Ron Eyre. Director on:
The Romanian Solution (Romanian Orthodox Church)
A Question of Balance (Confucius, Buddha and the Tao in Taiwan)
East meets West (California). Consultants – Theodore Roszak and John Davy.
1978
Florence Nightingale (BBC1 50') – for Great Britons; biography written and presented by Phillippa Stewart.
India – One Man’s Truth (BBC1 50') – portrait of Morarji Desai, Prime Minister of India, written and presented by Mark Tully.
1979–80
Our Man in Lusaka (BBC1 50') – portrait of a British High Commission.
Our Man in Caracas (BBC1 50') – portrait of a British Embassy.
1980–81
Muggeridge – Ancient and Modern (BBC2 8 × 50') – autobiographical series with Malcolm Muggeridge, drawing on his extensive archive and in conversation with JS.
1982
From Our Delhi Correspondent (BBC2 50') – portrait of Gujarat, and Gandhi’s continuing influence in India, written and presented by Mark Tully.
A Week with Svetlana (BBC2 40') – Malcolm Muggeridge as host to Stalin’s daughter in Kent.
1982–83
Time with Betjeman (BBC2 7 × 50') – autobiographical series with John Betjeman, with excerpts from his extensive archive, and in conversation with JS and with family and friends, including John Piper, Barry Humphries, Osbert Lancaster, John Osborne, Jock Murray, and Harry Williams.
Solzhenitsyn (BBC2 40') – in conversation with Malcolm Muggeridge.
1983
Series Producer for One Pair of Eyes (BBC2 6 × 30'), six films including:
Fools and Angels – Cecil Collins.
and Director of:
I have no message – Beryl Cook, the self-taught artist.
An Independent Life – Simon Trehearne, a young man with special needs living and working in the community.
1983–84
The Publisher (BBC2 40') – for The Italians; portrait of publisher Giovanna Mazzocchi.
John Betjeman: a tribute (BBC2 50') – on the death of the Poet Laureate.
(Move from BBC London to BBC Bristol)
1984–85
Living with Uncle Sam (BBC1 10 × 50') – documentary series with Alan Whicker in the USA talking to Brits who live and work there (nominated by BAFTA and Broadcasting Press Guild).
1986–87
Laurens van der Post at 80 (BBC2 50') – autobiography in conversation with JS.
Co-producer with Michael Croucher on Seven Ages (BBC2 7 × 50') – the phases of life as outlined by Jacques in As You Like It, written and presented by Ron Eyre. Director of:
Prams and Tigers (Infancy)
Slugs and Spice (10-year-olds)
A Few Pills and a Good Brisk Walk (mid-life)
Another Kind of Adventure (old age)
1988
Dinner at Noon (BBC2 50') – for Byline; portrait of a Harrogate Hotel, written and presented by Alan Bennett.
Anne Marie (BBC2 50') – for Second Sight; update of 1966 film about a child in care at an Edinburgh convent.
1989
Revolution (BBC2 55') – celebrating the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution, with Patrick Barlow and Jim Broadbent of the National Theatre of Brent.
1990
Candle on the Hill (BBC2 3 × 50') – celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Camphill movement and its work for children and adults with special needs.
Independent Producer/Director from 1990
1991
Tresoddit for Easter (BBC2 50') – for Byline; the Webber family on holiday in Cornwall – written, presented and illustrated by Posy Simmonds.
1992
Portrait or Bust (BBC2 50') – portrait of the Leeds City Art Gallery written and presented by Alan Bennett.
1992–93
Another Christmas (BBC1 50') – for Everyman; efforts to prepare for a meaningful Christmas.
Inner Journeys (HTV 10 × 40') – ten people describe the search for meaning in their lives: Lindsay Clarke, Diana Lodge, Peter Spink, Val Pommier, Elaine Heller, Aonghus Gordon, Alix Pirani, Girish Patel, Robert Burton, Leonard Sleath.
1993–94
Karachi to the Khyber Pass (BBC2 50') – for Great Railway Journeys, written and presented by Mark Tully.
Time to Learn (110' promotional video) – for Steiner Schools Fellowship.
Banking on People (40' promotional video) – for Mercury Provident on ethical banking.
Nettles in Paradise (40' promotional video) – for Paradise Community in Gloucestershire, for young adults with special needs.
1994–95
The Abbey (BBC2 3 × 50') – a day in the life of Westminster Abbey, written and presented by Alan Bennett.
1995
Clouds of Glory (BBC2 30') – a group of parents in Brighton express their concern at the erosion of childhood.
1995–96
London to Arcadia (BBC2 55') – for Great Railway Journeys, written and presented by Ben Okri.
1996–97
Faces of India (Channel Four 10 × 11') – portraits of ten Indians, to celebrate fifty years of Indian independence, written and presented by Mark Tully.
1997
Voice from the Bundu (BBC2 50') – a tribute to Laurens van der Post a year after his death.
1998
Watercolours Rich and Strange (40' promotional video) – therapeutic paintings of Alec Morrison.
Sunfield – Learning for Life (40' promotional video) for Sunfield Children’s Home, Clent.
1998–99
Granada to Salamanca (BBC2 50') – for Great Railway Journeys, written and presented by Michael Portillo.
1999
Camphill (40' promotional video) – for Camphill Rudolf Steiner School, Aberdeen, for children with special needs.
St Christopher’s (40' promotional video) – for St Christopher’s School, Bristol, for children with severe learning difficulties.
2000
One Chapter in a Longer Story (HTV 50') – portrait of St Christopher’s School, Bristol.
2002
Elizabeth I (BBC2 60') – for Great Britons, written and presented by Michael Portillo.
Learning to Care (30' promotional video) – the work of the care staff at St Christopher’s School, Bristol.
I am often asked about the availability of my films, either to buy, rent or loan. Apart from my 1989 trilogy Candle on the Hill (which can be purchased from Camphill Literature Services through vivangriffiths@talktalk.net, telephone 015395 31003) the majority of the films are held in the archives of the BBC who own the copyright. Until now, for reasons of rights, cost, etc., very few such documentaries have been made available on VHS or DVD. However, with advances in technology, the BBC plans – in the words of its first Director of Archive Content – ‘to increase public access’ to this huge library in the years ahead.
