LENIN was probably the first politician to recognise the unique potential of film when he called it “the most important of the arts”. He saw its educational and propaganda possibilities. 

In the early days of the Soviet Union films were used in the agit-prop trains that visited isolated and semi-literate communities throughout the vast territory of the country, showing what revolutionary changes were taking place and explaining class struggle. 

In Britain, there is a long tradition of working-class film making, largely inspired by the Soviet example, but it has always been confined to the margins, largely due to the lack of finance, access to equipment and distribution networks.