The Liberation of Paris

1944 Documentary Directed by André Zwobada

About The Liberation of Paris

Small Resistance camera units filmed the Battle for Paris in secret in August 1944. André Zwobada's short is cut from that footage.

Cast & crew

More about The Liberation of Paris

The shooting was done by Resistance units during the fighting, not by a studio crew after the city was open. Zwobada directed the finished short.

Themes

  • A battle filmed by the people in it
  • Paris in August 1944
  • French Resistance
  • Liberation of Paris
  • August 1944
  • documentary

Background

Paris rose against the German garrison in August 1944, before the Allies entered the city.

Making

Units had to film without announcing themselves while the street fighting was still going on.

Notes

  • The cameras were already in the street during the battle, not brought in later for a reenactment.
  • The subject is the August 1944 fight for the city.
  • It is a short compilation, not a later feature reconstruction.