This film is part of Free
Enemy Aliens Interned
A surprisingly cheery group of British-Germans men join thousands of others interned as 'enemy aliens' during WWI
Overview
This surprisingly cheery-looking group, several hundred strong, represents just some of more than 30,000 men interned by the end of 1915 under the provisions of the 1914 Alien Restriction Act. They are on their way to the internment camp at Frith Hill in Deepcut, Surrey. The camp was subsequently reserved for military prisoners of war, but these internees are clearly civilians.
The men's high spirits may be a show for the camera, but they may also feel relieved to be on their way to a place of safety. Anti-foreigner feeling was running high, with severe rioting British towns and cities and many German-owned shops and businesses damaged or destroyed. The unrest reached its peak in May 1915 after the notorious sinking of the RMS Lusitania by a German U-boat. So this Topical Budget newsreel item, released later that month, would have been part of a conscious campaign by the authorities to show they were taking action.
Related
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.