Back to God's Country, 1919, Nell Shipman, Ernest Shipman

From the earliest days of film over a century ago, audiences, artists and entrepreneurs alike have been mesmerized by the power of the cinema. The invention of equipment to record moving images was instantly applauded. Today, movies are a common form of expression and entertainment around the world. The history of cinema in Canada has been varied and unique. Award-winning animated shorts, wartime newsreels, innovative features films and world-renowned documentaries are just few examples of the kind of visual storytelling at which Canadians excel. On August 22, Canada Post Corporation will release two souvenir sheets honouring one hundred years of Canadian film making. The sheets will feature a total of ten domestic rate stamps, each depicting an outstanding moment in Canadian film history. Ernest Shipman produced this Canadian silent film classic, while his wife Nell played the leading role. "Back to God's Country" was an outstanding financial success, grossing over half a million dollar in the first year. Nell Shipman, who went on to write, direct and produce films during her 30-year career, was one of the first women to gain stature in the film industry. Stamp designer Pierre-Yves Pelletier, well known to Details readers, screened dozens of movies with film historian André Pâquet to select ten images for the series. After their screening sessions, Pelletier and Pâquet agreed to portray actual films frames rather than posters of publicity stills on the stamps in order to capture the true feel of film. This beautiful, historic series is presented as 10 self-adhesive die-cut stamps which are arranged in vertical strips so that they look like segments of film-right down to their simulated sprocket holes and sound strips. The year and title of the films appear on the stamp, as well as additional production information.