Their War
Two soldiers. Opposite sides. One goal.
- Format
- Short Film
- Year
- 2018
- Running time
- 22 min
- Status
- Released
Two soldiers on opposite sides of World War One must do all they can to survive and get back to the families they left behind.
Synopsis
As the Great War rages, Arthur Jefferies, a young and eager Englishman, answers his country's call to arms. He leaves behind his wife and unborn child, with thoughts of honour, duty and glory. The reality, he soon finds, is quite different: a trench on the Western Front, with the Germans a hundred feet away across No Man's Land.
In the opposite trench, a German marksman, Nikolaus, lies in wait. He too has left his wife behind, and he is done with the horror and the violence.
Their War is the story of two soldiers at war with each other and with themselves. Both need to get home to the people they love. They need to survive.
Max Mason's debut as writer, director and producer, Their War was shot on location in Norfolk and Suffolk in April 2018. It was an Official Selection at 15 festivals, with 28 nominations and 14 awards. It was released online in November 2019, picked up by Omeleto in February 2022, and has passed 450,000 views on YouTube.
Credits
Written, Directed and Produced by Max Mason
Director of Photography Paddy Bartram
Production Designer Collette Creary-Myers
Editor Will March
Gaffer Milo Cosemans
Music Simone Cilio
Casting Andrew Cant
Fight Director Ralph Aldis
Starring Hamish Riddle, Des Carney, Benjamin Hartley, Katharine Orchard, Elif Knight, Peter Svatik, Peter Boguszewski
A Chalice Films production
★★★★★“Arresting, honourable, and masterfully crafted.”
UK Film Review
★★★★★“The ending is pitch perfect and unforgettable.”
Movie Critic Next Door
“A visually impressive film with great performances and beautiful production design.”
LA Film Awards
★★★★“Highly recommended!”
Indie Shorts Mag
Director's note
Their War is a story I'd wanted to tell for a long time. All that separates these two men is language and a few hundred yards of mud. Take that away and you're left with two men fighting for the same reasons, with families back home: two equals.
Our first shoot, in March 2018, was snowed off by the Beast from the East before we'd unpacked a camera. A month later the whole crew came straight back. The film exists because of them.
Festivals and awards
| Festival | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Film Festival | 2019 | Winner, Best Production Design · 5 nominations |
| Sydney Indie Film Festival | 2019 | Winner, Best Production Design |
| New Hope Film Festival | 2019 | Winner, Best Foreign Film |
| 307 Film Festival, Wyoming | 2019 | Nominee, Best of Fest and Best Actor |
| Top Shorts Annual Awards, LA | 2019 | Nominee, Best Narrative Film |
| Gold Movie Awards | 2019 | Winner, Best Short (January) |
| Berlin Lift-Off | 2019 | Finalist |
| Veterans Film Festival, Canberra | 2019 | Official Selection |
| Beeston Film Festival | 2019 | Official Selection |
| Independent Shorts Awards | 2018 | Winner, Best Film and Best Cinematography (Platinum) |
| Hollywood Just4Shorts | 2018 | Finalist |
| Norwich Film Festival | 2018 | Official Selection |
| LA Film Awards | 2018 | Winner, Best Director (Short) |
| Top Shorts | 2018 | Winner, Best Narrative Film |
Behind the scenes