Introduction

A 1999 documentary film by Heddy Honigmann on the traumatic effects of war on the soldiers of United Nations peacekeeping missions.

Outline

The documentary shows Dutch soldiers that have served in UN missions in the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Lebanon, Cambodia, and Rwanda.

The heroic duties contrast with the local horrors.

The music, the favourite songs of the soldiers, serves the eight men and one woman interviewed as a key to unlock the chest of vivid memories: frequent trips through “Bomb Alley”; food convoys; the fall of Sarajevo; and camp life.

One of the soldiers is Marine commander Patrick Cammaert, who since has served in further very important UN missions. He chose the song “Crazy” (performed by Seal) to accompany the bloodbath of the attack on the Sarajevo market.

The film is regarded as an accusation against the Dutch Defence organisation on the care for its soldiers.

However, a 1997 study conducted by the Free University of Amsterdam on 3,500 military personnel that served in UN missions since 1975 showed that one out of five soldiers had not fully come to terms with their experiences.

Trivia

• Golden Calf for Best Documentary Film (2000).

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s): Heddy Honigmann.
• Producer(s): Pieter van Huystee.
• Writer(s): Heddy Honigmann and Ester Gould.
• Cinematography: Gregor Meerman.
• Editor(s): Mario Steenbergen.
• Production: Pieter van Huystee Film and Television and Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep.
• Release Date: November 1999 (International Documentary Film Festival).
• Running Time: 97 minutes.
• Country: Netherlands.
• Language: Dutch.