DESERTERS | Omeleto

From the creator

Two soldiers hide out. Flanders, 1916. Tommy is a young soldier from the West Indies, serving in a unit of the British Army. During a violent skirmish in the forests of Belgium, he flees into the woods, panicked and terrified. He meets Finn, a cynical, mysterious Irish officer, who takes Tommy in and later suggests joining forces to ensure their survival. Over the next few days, the two deserters form a tentative, unconventional bond. But when a German soldier discovers their hideout in the middle of the night, their common cause is tested as they wrangle over what to do to survive. Directed by Guido Zanghi and written by Benjamin Greaves-Neal and Guido Zanghi, this compelling short historical drama is a snapshot of World War I history, taken from a perspective not often represented in narratives about the conflict. But it is also a psychologically penetrating study of fear, paranoia, trust and the ways that war can warp our reactions to events and people. Both strands of the story are served through elegantly economical filmmaking and excellent writing and performances, all of which coalesce into an exemplary character study that understands how the larger tides of history can shape the inner lives of the people caught up in them. We are dropped into the story right when Tommy suffers what modern sensibilities would call a panic attack in the middle of battle. Overwhelmed, he flees into the forests of Belgium where they are battling, scared and ashamed. When he's discov

Published 2026-09-10 · Watch on YouTube ↗
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