HERMESensemble: La Belgique martyre

The HERMESensemble commemorates WW I with a brand new soundtrack by Hanne Deneire to the movie La Belgique martyre by Charles Tutelier from 1919. It was the first post war film production to be made in Belgium and the first patriotic war film in a series of no less than eleven productions. Although most of those films were results of individual initiatives, they are the embryonic results of an emerging cinematographic industry in Belgium. These films characterized by uncompromised patriotism, fierce idolatry of King and country, sacrifice and strong anti-German sentiments were quite popular in the first post war years in Belgium.

A young Flemish peasant experiences the brutal side of war after his father has left to fight at the battle front of the Yser, his mother has been executed by German soldiers and his grandfather has been sent to an internment camp. He decides to take up arms and joins the Belgian army to avenge his mother’s death. At the end of the war he succeeds in rebuilding the farm and starting a new life with his loved-ones.

Flagey, Cinematek, Nice Price by BNP Paribas Fortis