Seriously Moving Images

View Gateway to Asia on NFB.ca site (10 minutes)

An interesting documentary snapshot of British Columbia at the end of the Second World War, Gateway to Asia also considers the province’s diverse population and the ways in which the war impacted them. It includes a segment on the wartime internment of Japanese-Canadians, and the confiscation of their property.  The contributions of other Asian-Canadian groups are also mentioned.  In addition, there is good archival footage of Vancouver, Victoria, and various critical B.C. industries.  The stentorian tones of narrator Lorne Greene (later Pa Cartwright on TV’s Bonanza) help put the message across.

“This short film highlights the province of British Columbia and its position after World War II. Located on the Pacific Coast, it is the gateway for those travelling to Asia and Russia and a vital link between the rest of Canada and its neighbours in the Far East. The film looks at British Columbia’s population, natural resources and industries along with some of its social issues.” (NFB online description)