Statement by Jacques Donjean

The aim of this documentary-fiction film is clearly not to re-enact the whole First World War, but rather to look with present-day eyes at the events that took place in the Province of Liège and more widely in Belgium during the German occupation from 1914 to 1918.

Through interviews with historians (from several countries), film archives, photographs, re-enacted scenes and a fictional narrative storyline, this film aims to piece together the jigsaw puzzle so that we can understand what was at stake, the difficulties and the tragedies, and thus highlight the memories of history brought to life for audiences of all ages.

From a practical point of view, we filmed the remembrance sites which still today bear the scars of war (among others, the forts around Liège) and also the countryside of the Meuse valley (helped by the tugboat “Atlas V”). Understanding the significance of the statues and memorials we see every day without knowing why they were erected, is important.

Some of the re-enactments used actors in costume (but without dialogue), especially at Loncin Fort. The locations used for filming are an important part of the remembrance heritage of the Province of Liège, the Walloon Region and Belgium in general. The film is a unique opportunity to see and experience the local places where the Great War was played out.