War Game (film)

War Game is a 2002 animated short film made by the British animation company Illuminated Films, and based on the Michael Foreman novel of the same name. The film included many of the same scenes listed in the book, although four new characters were created. It features the voices of Elle Fanning, Adam Godley, Colin McFarlane, and Kate Winslet

This article is about the 2001 film. For the 1983 film, see WarGames. For other uses, see War Game (disambiguation).

War Game
Directed byDave Unwin
Produced byIain Harvey
Written byMichael Foreman (book), Simon Nicholson (screenplay)
StarringIain Jones
Adam Godley
Ben Warwick
Colin McFarlane
Kate Winslet
Narrated byElle Fanning
Music byJulian Nott
Edited byTaylor Grant
Distributed byFirst Run Features
Release date
  • 11 February 2002 (11 February 2002)
Running time
29 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom

Plot

In the summer of 1914, four teenaged boys (Will, Freddie, Billy, and Lacey), are out playing a game of football when they discover their opponents intend to enlist the British Army in light of the outbreak of the First World War. On their way home, a singing Kitchener springs from his poster to tell Will that he should 'play the game' (go to war). The young men have initial doubts about becoming soldiers but are persuaded to join up at a recruitment event. That evening, Will and Lacey inform their family of their enlistment. While their father wishes them well, and their sister Annie cries, their mother (voiced by Kate Winslet) tells her sons that war is not a game, and that they will be killed. But regardless, the boys leave for France, where they encounter hardships of the trenches, shooting competitions with the Germans, and bully beef.

On Christmas Day, a German soldier walks onto the battleground and invites the English soldiers to a football match. However, the match is broken up by the commanding officers, and the soldiers return to their trenches. Next time they enter No man's land it is to go into battle and they are cut down by artillery and machine gun fire. Lacey, Freddy, and Billy are killed instantaneously. Will is severely wounded, and lies in a shell crater with a German soldier. They exchange photos from home before both men die of their wounds.

Dedication

The DVD cover[1] has the dedication: "In memory of my uncles who died in the Great War. William James Forman, killed aged 18, Frederick Benjamin Foreman, killed aged 20, William Henry Goddard, killed aged 20, Lacey Christmas Goddard, died of wounds Christmas Day 1918, aged 24."

Awards

The film has won numerous awards including the Children's Choice Award at the British Animation Awards, Best Television Special at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, the International Student Jury Award at the Banff International Television Festival, Best Production of the Year at the Cartoons on the Bay Festival in Italy and 1st prize at the Cinemagic Festival in Belfast.[2]

Notes
  1. War Game (Media notes). Dave Unwin.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. Illuminated Films


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