John Grierson

John Grierson was a Scottish filmmaker, theorist, and producer who helped establish documentary as a major form of public communication. His 1929 film *Drifters* and leadership of British government film units shaped a generation of documentary makers, while his work in Canada led to the founding of the National Film Board in 1939. He also served UNESCO as its first Director of Mass Communications and Public Information, extending his influence beyond filmmaking into international media policy.