Film still from Peter Jackson's film They Shall Not Grow Old
Film still from Peter Jackson's film They Shall Not Grow Old  ©

Peter Jackson, 2018.

The British Council is proud to present a major new work by acclaimed director Peter Jackson to mark the centenary of the first world war’s end. 

To tell the stories of soldiers on the Western front, Peter Jackson has created a visually staggering film – using state-of-the-art technology to restore the original archive film shot during the First World War. 

They Shall Not Grow Old brings to life the people who can best tell this story: the men who were there. Driven by a personal interest in the conflict, Jackson set out to explore the day-to-day experience of its combatants immersing himself in the BBC’s and Imperial War Museums’ extensive archive. 

The film explores the reality of war on the front line: their attitudes to the conflict; how they ate, rested and formed friendships in those moments between battles; as well as their hopes and dreams for the future.