When Dalnavert was barely two years old, filmmaking and the movie industry in Manitoba was also in its infancy.

In 1897, the first Canadian films were produced right here in Winnipeg!

These films were directed by Manitoba farmer James Freer and featured scenes of farmers working, and CPR trains travelling across the prairies. They were not narrative films but rather documentaries showcasing prairie life.

These documentaries allowed Freer to travel to England and give lectures about prairie living and the countless possibilities of Canada. It was an all expenses paid trip funded completely by the CPR.

More often than not, early films about Winnipeg and Manitoba were government funded and served as propaganda to entice prospective Europeans to immigrate to Canada with the promise of a new life.

Learn more about these documentaries, the beginning of Winnipeg's longstanding film industry and more with a lecture all about early film in Winnipeg!