VIDEO: Occupation film launches at Jersey War Tunnels

Thursday 23 March 2017

An Islander honoured by both the British and Soviet governments for his bravery during the Occupation says a new film about the period which premiered in the Island last night is amongst the best and most authentic he’s ever seen.

And Bob Le Sueur’s in a better position to comment than probably anyone else – he was actually a key player in the events the film depicts.

Another Mother’s Son is based around Louisa Gould, her family, and their friends who helped hide escaped Russian slave workers during the Occupation. Bob was one of those friends.

Louisa and her brother, Harold Le Druillenec, were betrayed to the Nazis and sent to prison camps in German. Louisa was gassed in Ravensbruck and Harold was one of only two British survivors of another notorious concentration camp Bergen Belsen.

The film written by Louisa’s grand-niece Jenny Lecoat premiered in London earlier this week and has received rave reviews. But, Jenny told a select audience of around 100 at the premier at the Jersey War Tunnels last night, that she was more nervous about the reception the film would get locally.

Whilst the story is fact-based some liberties have been taken so as to make the film appeal to a wider audience, and to simplify events for those with limited historical knowledge. Another concession was that the movie had to be filmed off-Island because Jersey has now become too built up and no longer reflects the island of 70 years ago.

Nevertheless those invited to the premier were impressed. The film goes on general release on Friday and will be showing at Cineworld.