The Ritchie Boys

Running time: 55 mins

They were Jews who had escaped Hitlerâ??s Germany. Trained in intelligence work and the art of psychological warfare at Camp Ritchie, they were known as â??The Ritchie Boys.â? And they became unlikely heroes.

Director Christian Bauer (Missing Allen; Cinequest Award Winner, 2002) reunites The Ritchie Boys to tell their stories, not only in their words, but also by using fascinating archival footage, some of which has never been shown before. The stories are at times humorous and at times scary. Returning to a Europe they had once fled, the Boys accompanied our troops from Normandy through the liberation of the concentration camps. Using intelligence skills acquired in their training, they obtained vital tactical, strategic and psychological information about the inner workings of the Nazi regime, as well as produced radio broadcasts and publications which helped destroy German morale.

Some 60 years later, it becomes apparent that not only were they successful in war, but they have been even more successful in peace time. The Ritchie Boys is a truly unforgettable portrait of remarkable men and heroes who surely are an integral part of â??The Greatest Generation.â?

Sandy Wolf

Screening with:
Letters of Service; dir. Duncan Wellaway; 13min/35mm/United Kingdom â?? A psychiatric patient communicates through drawings. When he gives them to a nurse, his past and identity become clearer.

MAVERICK COMPETITION