Doughty, hardworking and with hope in their hearts, can the city's people meet the challenges ahead and "build a bridge for Derry's future?"

An expository documentary that contemplates the history of the city and the circumstances that have led to the divisions and disparity between the Catholic (working class) and  the Protestant (merchant class) communities. The myriad economic and social causes of these divisions are examined: the decline in local industry, outward emigration and unemployment.

This film was written and directed by John Hume and Terence McDonald.
 

Terence Mc Donald (1926 – 2001) was a teacher, film historian, film collector and a pioneering amateur filmmaker from Derry. He made 35 films in his lifetime covering a wide range of themes such as mental health, travelling theatre, and portraits of his home town, Derry. His playful fiction films often pay homage to classic cinema moments from Peyton Place to Potemkin, from Chaplin to Jacques Tati. Terence McDonald undertook all aspects of production - filming, sound recording and editing and produced a body of remarkably sophisticated work. This film is courtesy of his son, Peter Mc Donald.

John Hume KCSG (18 January 1937 – 3 August 2020) was an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. At the time of making this film, he was a young teacher and very interested in filmmaking and using filmmaking to highlight the stories of his beloved Derry.

Digitised as part of Unlocking Film Heritage

A Fairview Films Production

Directed by Terence Mc Donald

Narrator Rev. Brian Hannon

Produced by Terence Mc Donald and John Hume

• British Film Institute
• Britain on Film
• BFI Player