“During our travels abroad reporting for the Stern illustrated magazine and other newspapers, I often also took a film camera along. Therefore, together with the photo reportages we made quite a number of films. I realized fairly soon that words alone were not sufficient to portray the Third World. Images were needed.
When Marie-Claude and I were working on a reportage about the Turcoman at the Russian border, it turned out to be decisive for our future. Marie-Claude took photographs and I was filming. The photographs were beautiful, but the reality got glossed over. The film on the other hand revealed all. From that moment on we knew: We have to film.”
One of the priorities in these earlier documentaries was the fate of minorities, a subject matter that kept recurring in all their films.
The first few films were all in black and white – unfortunately, most of them are no longer available. We are trying to trace their whereabouts. Should we find them, they will be put on the web.
A french woman with the North Yemen tribes
YEMEN 1963
“In September 1962, rebellious officers overthrew Imam El Badr in Yemen. The republic is proclaimed in Sanaa. The former ruler is presumed dead. Nevertheless, royalist tribes in the north are organizing resistance…
A War Report from Mediaeval Times (North Yemen)
Yemen, 1963
In September 1962 rebel officers overthrew the Imam EI Badr and proclaimed the Yemen Arab Republic in Sana’a’. The Imam was declared dead. However, royalist tribes in the North organised armed resistance…
Drenched in Blood (Kurdistan)
Kurdistan, 1964
In the spring of 1964, the Iraqi Army started an offensive against the armed Kurdish opposition. Although the Kurdish opposition groups – the conservative faction under the command of General Barzani and the Democratic Party of Kurdistan (PDK)…
The Forgotten Genocide (Southern Sudan)
Southern Sudan, 1967
After Independence in 1956, the Arabic Islamic North tried to colonize the south of Sudan, where the population adheres to traditional African religions. Mass religious conversions, expropriation and genocide were the normal methods used. The Sudanese of…
The Siege of Sana’a (North-Yemen)
North-Yemen, 1967
In 1967, President Nasser of Egypt withdrew his support for the Yemen Arab Republic, and ordered his troops home. The Royalists, thinking their hour of victory had come, laid siege to the…
The Uprising of the Slaves (Dhofar/Oman)
Oman/Dhofar 1969
By late 1960s, there was only one Marxist-Leninist liberation movement of any importance that was waging an armed anti- imperialist struggle in the Middle East. The Arab States had imposed a news…
The Revolution in Year One (Peru)
Peru, 1969
In 1968, so-called progressive forces within the Peruvian army staged a military coup, and came to power. They promised a revolution from the top: radical land reform, the dismantling of the oligarchy, redistribution of wealth and property, protection…
The Revolutionary Church in Latin America
Colombia/Peru/ Brazil, 1969
Until the mid 1970s, the Church in Latin America supported the ruling oligarchies. The Church saw to it that destitute people accepted their destiny by consoling them with the promise of a better life after death. However,…
The Middle Ages resist — North Yemen after the Civil War
Yemen, 1970
After eight years of civil war in North Yemen the question was posed how the royalist tribes — yet supported by Saudi Arabia — could be hindered of getting back…
Jews in North Yemen
Yemen, 1970
It had always been claimed that the Imam had forced all Jews to leave Yemen and that they had been airlifted to Israel. The film, however, shows that this was not the case. The Jews who had been…
The Land of 1001 Oil Rigs (Persian/Arab Golf)
Persian Gulf, 1971
After Great Britain had lost Singapore and Aden, Her Majesty’s Government decided to recall her troops from the piratical coast in the Persian-Arabian Gulf. The Emirates that had been under the protectorate of Great Britain were granted…
South Sudan – Another Biafra?
Sudan, 1970
Towards the end of 1960s, Israel had decided to intervene in the Sudanese civil war. The presence of Israeli military advisors in Uganda made it easier for Mossad – Israel’s Secret Service – to establish itself in south…
The Age of Mercenaries (Eminrates)
Persian Gulf, 1971
British troops had been withdrawn from the Persian-Arabian Gulf, yet Canadian, Australian and English mercenaries stayed on to help build up the local armies. They were later followed by technicians, development- aiders and other experts who offered…
The Sultanate of Oman
Oman, 1971
Before it was overthrown, the Sultanate of Oman was nominally an independent state. However, the British were pulling the strings. The Commander-in Chief of the Sultanate’s army was an English general and the troops were mainly Pakistani mercenaries.…
South Yemen, the Cuba of the Arab World
South Yemen, 1972
During the liberation struggle two organisations, the FLOSSY and the NLF, were fighting against the British occupation troops. Mainly the petit bourgeoisie and trade unionists from the Crown Colony of Aden…
Algiers, Capital of the Revolutionaries
Algeria, 1972
On independence, Algeria had it written into its Constitution that all revolutionary and national freedom movements could claim political asylum. lt says: “The development of Algeria’s socialism is closely connected to the…
Communists since a Thousand Years (South Yemen)
Yemen, 1973
Troeller/Deffarge once asked a cabinet minister in South Yemen, why socialistic ideas were so readily acceptable in that part of the Arab world. He replied: “Because we have been communists for a…
The Revolution of the Common Man (Madagascar)
Madagascar, 1973
A peoples uprising had caused the downfall of Philibert Tsiranana’s regime in Madagascar. A progressive military had come to power. New development models were being tested and farmers were given the opportunity…
The Angry Corsicans (France)
France, 1973
In 1973, more bombs exploded in Corsica than in Northern Ireland. Political movements for autonomy were astir in all the regions of France that had maintained their cultural identity. The political centre…