The filmmaker Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings) will make a documentary TV film on the First World War, on the occasion of the upcoming commemorations of the centenary of the 1918 armistice.
Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, will direct a documentary regarding the First World War for the BBC.
Already in September 2016, the filmmaker traveled to the North of France to visit the Wellington quarries and retrace the journey of soldier Tom Walsh, the great-uncle of his wife Fran Walsh. During the Battle of Arras in the spring of 1917, New Zealand troops had indeed dug many tunnels to take German soldiers from the rear. This decisive act of bravery had nevertheless caused many human losses.
Questioned at the time of this visit by our colleagues from The voice of the NorthPeter Jackson had then confided that this trip to the region was not linked to any particular project, but that it was not impossible that this little-known story would inspire him in the future with an idea for a film.
Peter Jackson visits Arras on the trail of his ancestors
It is now done, since our Anglo-Saxon colleagues tell us that a documentary telefilm produced by him will soon see the light of day, on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the end of the conflict.
However, this film will not be a reconstruction of the Battle of Arras since it will be regarding “world War One” in a more global way, with the use of period documents provided by the Imperial War Museum British, including previously unseen images specially restored for the occasion.
Presented out of competition at the next edition of the London Film Festivalthis documentary TV movie will also be broadcast next fall on the channel BBC Oneon the occasion of the centenary of the armistice of 1918.
