THE FORGOTTEN REFUGE
Summary
On the outskirts of Caen, archaeologists are studying a vast underground quarry. Shoes, jewellery, coins, lamps… thousands of objects litter the ground: the forgotten remains of hundreds of civilians who took refuge underground to protect themselves from Allied bombing during the D-Day landings in June 1944. In June 1944, Yvette Lethimonier was twelve years old when she took refuge with her family and several hundred other people in this vast underground complex.
Today, Yvette is back in this refuge. With the help of archaeologists, she descends into the quarry, more than 20 metres below ground. As she plunges back into this underground world, her memories resurface. Yvette has come to make peace with a still painful past. For the archaeologists, Yvette’s testimony is extremely valuable.
Principal scientific advisor: Cyril Marcigny
Technical specifications:
Title: The Forgotten Refuge
Director: David Geoffroy
Production: Court-jus Production, France 3 Normandie and Inrap
Duration: 52 minutes
Date
2019
