Information
- BFI identifier171342
- Date1948-09 (Release)
- Production countryUnited Kingdom
- Production company
- SynopsisProblem of the Italian Colonies, Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia; how they were acquired by Italy; their position in the war and their future. This Modern Age series. no. 20. (Synopsis) DOCUMENTARY. A survey of the African countries in the Italian Empire directly after World War II. RL.1 Libya, in 1937 - Mussolini visits the 'Fascist African Empire' (137). Signing the peace treaty of 1947 by which Italy gave up her claims to the African territories (206). In the same year, Britain, America, Russia and France set up a fact-finding mission to decide the future of these territories (350). They carried out surveys among the local people to find out how they would like their countries to be governed. ERITREA. Scenes showing the villas built by the Italians in Asmara, the capital, are contrasted with the African slums (407). Some examples are given of the African way of life - grinding corn, harvesting etc. (433). Most of the Africans in Eritrea are Christians who follow the Coptic Church (467). The population was divided in its ideas of future government: some wanted unity with Ethiopia, while the others favoured complete independence on a U.N. Trustee-ship. Each of these factions held public demonstrations to draw attention to their ideas (588). SOMALIA. More examples of African life (655). Scenes of Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia which was based on Somalia and Eritrea. LIBYA. Italian immigrants came to set up a colony. Many of them left after a few years when they found how difficult it was to utilize the land (817). The best places for the immigrants was near the towns such as Benghazi or Tripoli - where the native population was already relatively prosperous - shots in the bazaar at Tripoli (899 ft). RL.2 Continuation from the previous reel. Native methods of cultivation in an arid country improved by the Italian workers, many of whom built permanent 'underground' houses in the cliff faced (104). In contrast, the nomadic Africans who farmed one place only as long as it would yield without proper irrigation (145). The Bedouin are often members of the Senussi fraternity, a religious group who hold schools to teach their version of the Islamic faith (224). The Senussi 'capital' was at the Kufra oasis in the south of Cyrenaica (250). The Senussi Arabs wanted an independent kingdom ruled by their Emir (280). TRIPOLITANIA. The mission found that the people wanted an independent and unified Libya. All four of the colonies were financed for five years often by grants from Britain totalling £10,000,000. A British military administration was set up while the European powers decided what the future government should be. This administration started new schools (including some for girls) while keeping open the Italian schools (448). They started newspapers in local languages, set up agricultural schools, and mechanized industries (633). All four colonies shared basic problems - they were aware of the need for decisions on their future; they were poor countries needing financial help to raise their standards of living; they had no practice in democratic self-government. Demonstrations of one kind or another, many pro-British, and mostly anti-Italian (810). Finally, all the colonies were brought under trustee-ship (855). Closing shots of African war graves (903 ft). "The End" (1817 ft). (Shotlist)
- Work historyDocumentary short.
- Genre
- Subject
- Credits
Title
Fate of an Empire (Original)
Fate of the Empire (Alternative)
Category
Non Fiction (Short film)- Collections
- Film / Video
Positive - Nitrate - Sound - Master
Positive - Nitrate - Sound - Master
35mm Dupe Negative - Nitrate - Mute - Master
35mm Master Positive - Nitrate - Sound - Master
35mm BW Positive - Nitrate - Combined - Master
35mm Positive - Nitrate - Combined as Mute - Master
35mm Dupe Negative - CTA - Combined as Mute - Master
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- StillsPhotograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2441080
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2441081
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2441082
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2441083
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2441084
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- This Modern Age
Series Work - 768453
United Kingdom - Film - Non Fiction
- +Fate of an Empire
Work - 171342 - 1948-09 (Release)
United Kingdom - Film - Non Fiction
- +Fate of an Empire
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