Detail

Collection Wistrand Family

Summary

The Wistrand Family Collection, filmed by Swedish diplomat Tor H. Wistrand and his wife date from the 1930s to the 1950s, charting their travels to the Far East, the United States of America, and Sweden.

Collection ID	348	Reference code	WS 011113
Title	Wistrand Family
Dates	1930s - 1950s
Production	Major R. M. Maxwell. Theodore Hugo Wistrand, Swedish Legation. Ake Skantze, Swedish Legation [?]
Materials	FILM 16mm Standard 8mm
Access status	Contact Screen Archive South East for details

Description

The Wistrand Family Collection consist of over fifteen films filmed by Swedish diplomat Tor H. Wistrand and his wife. The films, which date from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s, chart the travels of the diplomat and his family during his postings in the Far East, the United States of America, and Sweden. The latter films, which include [The Wistrand Family in the USA; At the Seaside] (1942) are typical home movie compilations which feature family activities, such as outings to the beach. The films shot in the Far East exhibit however a different sensibility which was a highly selective.

Tor H. Wistrand was stationed in Tokyo between 1936 and 1939 as First Secretary to the Swedish Legation in Japan. Whilst there, he documented both his home life, such as in [The Wistrand Family in Japan: Japanese Home; At the Seaside] (1936 - 1938), and his travels around the region. The bulk of the footage records, in colour, the people, buildings, and landscape of the county in the years immediately preceding the Second World War. His films, including [Japanese Scenery II] (1937-1939?), suggest a conscious, perhaps academic, act on his part. He endeavoured to tour the land, and to capture its features on celluloid, knowing that the Second World War would bring about irreversible changes. This is further illustrated in [Visit to China and Korea] (1938?). His diplomatic standing undoubtedly facilitated this trip as it took place during a time of Japanese occupancy. He again recorded the landscape, people and buildings of the Asian countries, providing us with what is believed to be the only pre-war colour footage of Korea.

The collection contains a further historically important film, [A Visit to Java, Bali and Sumatra, Angkor Wat and Bangkok] (1939). In this film Wistrand records, in colour, his journeys around South East Asia. His interest with architecture and indigenous people is again evident, as is a fascination with their cultures. Aside from filming street scenes and a Hindu funeral, he records the Balinese dance culture. The resulting footage of I Ketut Marya performing Kebyar Duduk, and of other dancers performing Barong, Kris and Legong Dances is the only known pre-war colour footage of this performing art. The Wistrand Family Collection is therefore a highly significant one which provides an insight into cultures, lands and tourist trail which were so dramatically effected in the ensuing war years. And the films offer an interesting contrast with the official and formal news items and documentaries from the period.

Films in this collection:

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Showing 1 to 15 of 18 results.

[The Wistrand Family in Japan: Japanese Home; At the Seaside]

Date	[1936 - 1938]	ID	2830

A compilation of home movie footage recording the family of a Swedish diplomat stationed in Japan. The women of the family are filmed in their chauffeur-driven car, playing with their pets and dressed in kimonos in the garden, and swimming in the sea.

[The Wistrand Family in Japan: Children Indoors]

Date	[1936 - 1938?]	ID	2832

Home movie footage showing a Swedish diplomat's family in their Japanese home. The film-maker's youngest daughter is filmed eating a meal in her highchair, whilst his wife and eldest daughter are filmed playing the piano.

[The Wistrand Family in Japan: Blossom]

Date	[1936 - 1938?]	ID	2838

Home movie footage of a White-European female visiting a Swedish diplomat and his family in Japan, and of one of the his daughters smelling the blossom.

[The Wistrand Family in Japan: On Horseback]

Date	[1936 - 1939]	ID	2843

A brief amateur film in which the film-maker, a Swedish diplomat stationed in Japan, films his wife walking through a park and on horseback.

[The Wistrand Family in Japan: Children and Dog]

Date	[1936 - 1939]	ID	2845

Home movie footage of a Swedish diplomat's two daughters enjoying time with their pet dog and cat in their Japanese garden.

[The Wistrand Family in Japan: Japanese Life]

Date	[1936 - 1939?]	ID	2831

A Swedish diplomat films his daughter in the garden of their Japanese home, accepting a glass of milk from one of their servants. He also films the quiet local streets and traditional local temples.

[Japanese Scenery II]

Date	[1937 - 1939?]	ID	2836

An amateur film which captures, in colour, the people, attractions and landscape of southern Japan in the years immediately preceding the Second World War.

[Japanese Scenery I]

Date	[1937 - 1939?]	ID	2837

A compilation of amateur footage filmed by a Swedish diplomat who was stationed in Japan in the years immediately preceding the Second World War. The film includes footage of Tokyo street scenes, pagodas and temples, the Miyajima Temple Gates, a smoking volcano, and a boat ride along the rapids of a river.

[Visit to China and Korea]

Date	[1938?]	ID	2835

Footage of pre-Second World War Japan and Korea filmed by Swedish diplomat Tor H. Wistrand. He films temples and palaces, street scenes and The Great Wall of China. The film has intertitles and contains the only known pre-Second World War colour footage of Korea.

[A Visit to Java, Bali and Sumatra, Angkor Wat and Bangkok]

Date	1939	ID	2834

An amateur film-maker records his journeys around South East Asia, capturing on film the indigenous peoples, temples, dances, and landscape. The film contains the only known pre-war colour footage of some of the most renowned Balinese dancers, including I Ketut Marya (Mario).

[The Wistrand Family in the USA; Horse-riding]

Date	[ca. 1941]	ID	2839

Swedish diplomat Tor H. Wistrand and his two daughters are filmed riding horses in New England. Mr Wistrand's wife, an American by birth, moved to America with their children at the outbreak of the Second World War.

[The Wistrand Family in the USA; Island Holiday]

Date	[ca. 1942]	ID	2841

A compilation of amateur footage filmed by a Swedish diplomat whilst living in America. The film contains images of a female family friend touring the carp ponds of a public garden, sunbathing at an outdoor swimming pool and on rocky outcrops. The film ends with images of local Hawaiian (?) women pulling in fishing nets onto a beach.

[The Wistrand Family in the USA; Seaside Fun]

Date	[1941?]	ID	2840

Home movie footage of a Swedish family who lived in the United States during the Second World War. The film-maker's two daughters are seen bodyboarding on a lilo in the sea and playing hopscotch on the sandy beach. There are also images of their pet dogs in the garden.

[The Wistrand Family in the USA; At the Seaside]

Date	1942	ID	2829

Home movie footage of a Swedish family who lived in the United States during the Second World War. The women of the family are joined by friends on a canoe trip and at an otherwise deserted beach. They swim in the sea, play hopscotch in the sand and fish for crabs.

[Scenes from Sweden; Holiday in the Mountains]

Date	[ca. 1948]	ID	2828

Amateur footage of a trip to the mountains. The Swedish film-maker films his wife and two daughters travelling by horse and cart to a glacier where they have a snowball fight. The film ends with images of Stockholm.

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Showing 1 to 15 of 18 results.