A new Second World War documentary featuring “vividly restored archival footage” will be released on Netflix tomorrow, on May 5. The immersive film will bring the period of history to life and includes firsthand accounts of what Britain was like during the Blitz. Called Britain and The Blitz, the documentary is made by 72 Films and directed by Ella Wright.
Wright’s previous work includes JFK: One Day in America, which was nominated for five Emmy Awards, and The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor. The trailer for Britain and the Blitz shows coloured footage of British cities during the Blitz, and we hear from those affected, including one man who was a schoolchild during the period and who described fleeing from a bomb.
The Blitz, which comes from the German term Blitzkrieg, meaning ‘lightning war’, was a campaign of sustained aerial bombing on British cities. It lasted from September 1940 until May 1941, and while London was the most heavily hit, the whole country was impacted. During this period, more than 43,500 civilians were killed in the attacks by the Luftwaffe.
David Glover, Cate Hall, and James Marsh are executive producers on the documentary, which has a runtime of 78 minutes and an age rating of 12 in the UK. 72 Films said the “gripping” documentary will tell the “powerful human story behind one of the most iconic chapters in British history”.
This is the second World War 2 documentary made as a collaboration between Netflix and 72 Films, according to What’s On Netflix. The six-episode World War II: From the Frontlines was released in late 2023 and went on to win two Emmy Awards for outstanding graphic design and music composition.
It was narrated by John Boyega, the Star Wars actor, and featured restored footage as well as testimony from men, women, soldiers, and civilians. The documentary was based on new research and 8,000 hours of original archive footage from around the world.
“This epic series brings World War II to life as never before – through the eyes of the people who fought, endured, resisted and survived,” 72 Films explained.
Other World War Two documentaries on Netflix at the moment include World War II: From the Frontlines, Greatest Events of World War II in Colour, and 13 Hours That Saved Britain. Netflix Originals include Churchill at War, Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial, WWII in Color: Road to Victory, and Einstein and the Bomb.