Abstract
This article proposes a sociological analysis of the film Drifters (1929), by John Grierson (1898-1972), a work that became the cornerstone of the British Documentary Film Movement. In the film, ordinary people appear in work activities - in this case, herring fishermen in the North Sea. The visual analysis, guided by the methodology of Pierre Francastel and Pierre Sorlin, in counterpoint with Grierson’s texts, allowed to raise some questions about the notions of education and democracy that seem to guide the director. This allowed the conclusion that Drifters is an ode to progress, an advertisement of the nation, of its unity and the feeling of collectivity.
Keywords:
John Grierson (1898-1972); Drifters (1929); Sociology of cinema; Democracy; Documentary; Education