Peter Jackson’s World War I Documentary Gets Title and Sets London Film Festival Premiere

The latest film from “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson has announced a title and world premiere date, Deadline reports. A documentary about World War I using rare archival footage, “They Shall Not Grow Old” will premiere on October 16 as a special presentation at the BFI London Film Festival. The film will be broadcast simultaneously in venues across the UK in 2-D and 3-D. The previously untitled project, which was originally announced in January, will use extensive archival WWI footage courtesy of the Imperial War Museum and audio from the BBC archives. The footage has been colorized and converted into 3-D.

“I wanted to reach through the fog of time and pull these men into the modern world, so they can regain their humanity once more — rather than be seen only as Charlie Chaplin-type figures in the vintage archive film,” said Jackson. “By using our computing power to erase the technical limitations of 100 year cinema, we can see and hear the Great War as they experienced it.”

Jackson will answer questions after the screening, and audiences across the country will be able to submit. In addition to directing, “They Shall Not Grow Old” is produced by Jackson with Clare Olssen, and edited by Jabez Olssen (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “The Hobbit” franchise).

The BFI London Film Fest runs from October 10-21.

Jackson gives further details on the project in the video below.