A New Way to a New World
Date: 1936
Director: Unknown

This travelogue follows on from the St Kilda film which describes the
experience of having to abandon the lonely Atlantic islands. Using archive
audio clips of Scots who sought a new life in the United States, our
soundtrack explores the theme of emigration " A New Way to a New World" is
a fifteen minute film telling the story of a sea voyage from Glasgow to New
York in the early thirties. Passengers board the ship in Glasgow and then
sail down the River Clyde. They amuse themselves onboard with some
entertaining and bizarre games before finally arriving in New York, sailing
past the Statue of Liberty on the way. The scale of Manhattan is daunting,
but Broadway at night is fun. Then the action turns to Boston, and finally
the spectacular Niagara Falls.

To this silent film the audio clips, poety and live music tell the emotional
story of leaving home to seek a new life. We hear people's doubts and
fears, as well as their impressions upon arrival.

The poetry connects the story to the present audience. To some extent we
are all displaced persons and we all face choices about where we live, and
where we want to be. What do we want? And what would we have done if we
could take the place of our travellers back in the thirties?