Back in the Somme Drone Filming for “Because We Did Not Choose” by Wanphrang K Diengdoh

We worked with the incredibly talented musician-filmmaker Wanphrang Diengdoh to help capture slow-moving drone shots around the Somme for his documentary film entitled “Because We Did Not Choose”. This film looks at the participation of labour from the tribal communities of North East India in the theatres of war in France and (then) Mesopotamia during the First World War. Wanphrang Diengdoh comes from one of these communities – the Khasis. The film is by no attempt a work that seeks to glorify war but instead examines what it means for communities who were never exposed to the nuances of Western civilization to suddenly be inserted in a war far away from their homes. The film also examines the clash and negotiations between traditional ideas and modernity.

We filmed with the drone at St. Sever Cemetery in Rouen and also at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial. Many thanks to the CWGC for their help obtaining the necessary authorisations.

You can watch a trailer for his film here: