In commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the start of World War I, BBC Worldwide North America will, in a unique departure, premiere three historic films in theaters across the U.S. this August: 37 Days: The Road to World War I, Royal Cousins at War: The Final Blow to the Royal Houses of Europe and Churchill’s First World War.
The screenings will be free to the public and will be held in independent cinema houses including the American Film Institute Silver Theatre (Washington D.C.), the Paley Center for Media (New York City), the American Cinematheque (Los Angeles), and many more.
According to BBC, this special screening series solidifies BBC Worldwide’s commitment to bring the best of British programming in all formats to U.S. audiences while sharing pivotal moments of the war from a uniquely British point of view.
“While it has been customary to premiere our programming on television or digital platforms, we believe the 100th anniversary of World War I deserves special treatment and that is why we decided to present these three incredible films in theaters for free,” said Soumya Sriraman, EVP Home Entertainment & Licensing, BBC Worldwide North America.
“Each film provides an interesting perspective on the many facets of the war, from its roots to its legacy. Creating a theatrical event around these films provides the perfect forum for community viewing,” she said.
Often referred to as “The Great War,” World War I began in July 1914 with the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
This triggered an interconnecting network of alliances to spark mobilization, bringing in the empires of Europe. England, France and Russia lined up against Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The war ended four years later with the armistice of 1918.
The U.S. premiere event screenings kick off August 2 at different locations. You can get more information here.
BBC Worldwide is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) operating in the U.S. and Canada.
Photo courtesy: BBC
