Documentary / War & Politics
A six-part French documentary about the Second World War composed exclusively of actual footage of the war as filmed by war correspondents, soldiers, resistance fighters and private citizens. The series is shown in color, with the black and white footage being fully colorized,…


Colourised footage of Hitler as he visits the Austrian village where he grew up, see the heart-felt good-byes as French soldiers leave loved ones at Gare de l’Est train station in Paris and civilians. Hitler continues his conquest of Europe by invading Holland and Belgium.

The British troops hastily evacuate from the beaches at Dunkirk, France, but are forced to abandon kilometres of precious military vehicles and equipment. Heart-rending footage captures the plight of thousands of French civilians as they flee from the Nazis, as well as home movies taken by Londoners as they dig out from daily bombings.

Polish prisoners and Jews are forced into slave labour to complete Nazi building projects. The Italian army is in disarray so Hitler dispatches one of his best generals to Libya. The Afrika Korps fry eggs on the surfaces of their tanks amidst the blistering desert sands of North Africa. Shock includes vivid colourised footage of the battle for the Soviet Union as the Germans struggle toward Moscow in the brutal Russian winter.

America joins the war as the conflict rages in South-East Asia, North Africa and Russia. The Allied forces are unable to slow the furious progress of the Japanese army through South-East Asia. Even India and Australia are at risk. The Nazis instigate The Final Solution.

The turning of the war against Germany, with Allied victory at El Alamein and Russian triumph at Stalingrad. In the North Atlantic, the Allies make progress in reducing the threat from German U-boats. Inside Hitler's Germany the SS gain more power, and in southern Europe the Allies fight their way though Italy.

Witness the D-Day landings and the liberation of Paris. In the east the Soviets liberate Auschwitz and fight their way to the heart of Berlin. Germany finally surrenders and Japan fights on until the 2 atom bombs are dropped.

Self - Narrator (voice)

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)

In 1945, during the final months of the Second World War, a group of soldiers perform for the Royal Artillery concert party, with comic acts and musical numbers for others prior to their departure for the frontlines. The party avoids partaking in combat duty; thus, the soldiers love being part of the outfit. Some even daydream of becoming world-famous actors when they leave the army.

Based on real characters and events, this haunting drama focuses on the personal sacrifice of a Prague history student, Jan Palach, who set himself on fire in protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1969. Dagmar Burešová, a young female lawyer, became part of his legacy by defending Jan's family in a trial against the communist government, a regime which tried to dishonour Palach’s sacrifice, a heroic action for the freedom of Czechoslovakia.

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)

Self (archive footage)