Silent film producer and one of the original founders of Universum Film AG (UFA), David Oliver played a pivotal role in over four German film industries. UFA, a nationally subsidized film organization, was established in 1917 partly in reaction to the Allied Powers use of cinema as a propagandistic tool. During the Golden Age of cinema, this one company was unrivalled in its uniting a wealth of stars and artists while also gaining much power and influence. Cinema of this time emerged as a poignant art form due to and in spit of economic, political and civil unrest. Many German productions of this time are among the most influential in international film history.

Oliver also headed Danish film company Nordisk‘s German subsidiary, Nordische, During this time he exposed international audiences to future stars including Asta Nielson, Pola Negri and Emil Jannings as well as to groundbreaking directors Paul Wedener and Ernst Lubitsch.

UFA MAN is a documentary project aimed at rediscovering the films of David Oliver and his impact on the formative years of cinema. A hundred years after their creation, some of these films are severely damaged and have nearly decomposed. Restoration technology provides the means to restore these negatives held in various archives around Europe.

UFA MAN is directed by Mark Oliver and Derek Howard, and is currently seeking Canadian development funding and international co-production.