AN historic film shot in the Forest of Dean has been rescued from oblivion in the vaults of the British Film Institute after 46 years.

The 1972 film, ‘A Fortunate Man’, was based on the book of the same name by author John Berger and Swiss photographer Jean Mohr.

The book chronicles the daily life of a Forest GP and his patients and was hailed as a masterpiece.

It was so highly regarded that it heavily influenced the way British GPs are taught.

The film was produced and directed by Jeff Perks, and features actual Forest of Dean children with only one professional actor, Michael Bryant, who played the lead role of the doctor.

It includes scenes with children and staff at Soudley Primary School, and the children of Blakeney Hill Primitive Methodist Chapel Sunday School.

The film, which was never released, was unearthed by Jason Griffiths and Roger Deeks of the Reading the Forest literature scheme run by Gloucestershire University is harness with the Foresters’ Forest lottery heritage programme.

The film, on loan from the BFI, will be shown at Soudley Village Hall at 7.30pm on Friday, June 22, and again at St Briavels on Saturday, June 23.