The 11th Day DVD British/Greek WW II Documentary

[Archangel Films]

crete1941.com

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The 11th Day

Press Release

The men, women, and children who took on Hitler's most elite soldiers... and won.

SACRAMENTO , CA – It's a film that Chase Brandon, a 30-year veteran operative of the CIA, has proclaimed "one of the greatest untold stories of World War II." Columnist John Kass of the Chicago Tribune and Newsday rallied his readers to the Chicago premiere of this "stirring documentary," telling them, "if you're interested in what fuels an insurgency--and the news is full of that today--you'll want to see this film."

U.S. Congressman Michael Bilirakis has hailed it as "an extraordinary film," so moved by the story that he invited director-producer Christos Epperson and writer-producer Michael Epperson to present a special preview to fellow members of Congress in Washington D.C. last year. It has since been acquired for exhibition by America's national World War II museum, The National D-Day Museum, and is currently on a worldwide tour in theaters across America, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

The 11th Day chronicles the story of the men, women, and children of the Cretan civilian resistance movement and their British allies relentless battle against Nazi occupation forces from 1941-1945—a battle which inspired Churchill to proclaim, "Until now, we knew that Greeks were fighting like heroes; from now on we shall say that the heroes fight like Greeks."

Their stories are told first hand, and on-location, through exclusive interviews with the resistance fighters themselves. Some were just child recruits at the time, boys and girls; others were seasoned veterans, and still others were the Allied soldiers and British intelligence operatives who fought alongside them. Together, they would inflict upon Germany its first major defeat of the war, decimating half of Hitler's 8,000 invading elite airborne assault troops in just a matter of days. Later, a mere handful of Cretan fighters would kidnap the commander in chief of German forces on Crete—the famous abduction of General Kreipe, masterminded and led by British Special Operations officer Patrick Leigh Fermor. It was the only successful kidnapping of a German general throughout the war.

Fermor's participation in the film marks his first on-camera interview in over 50 years—just one reason why so many World War II historians and enthusiasts have been so eagerly anticipating the film's debut.

Accented with vintage photos, unpublished 16mm film footage, and carefully crafted flashback reenactments—most shot on-location in Crete—The 11th Day not only provides audiences with an eye-opening portrayal of the Cretan resistance movement; it does so by way of establishing a truly intimate connection with its subjects—an intimacy rarely seen in most period documentaries. "The events themselves are important, but not as important to us as the people who lived them," says Epperson. "These are their stories, in their voices. After all these years, it's time to listen."

[Tsontos]

The 11th Day (http://www.crete1941.com)

Ive bought the DVD, and highly recommend it.

[Archangel Films]

Thank you so much for your recommendation. We really appreciate your support of the work that we do and of the veterans we represent. I have copied below our press release for the documentary we have currently in production. Again, thank you so much for your support.


OUTPOST HARRY

GROUNDBREAKING KOREAN WAR DOCUMENTARY UNDERWAY


SACRAMENTO, CA - The soldiers of the Greek Expeditionary Forces called it Outpost “Haros”—the Greek name for Death. It was classic wartime humor, a dark pun borne of a hopeless mission. More than 88,000 rounds of Chinese artillery would pound Outpost Harry—a tiny Korean hilltop no bigger than Times Square, 425 yards ahead of the front line. Defended each night by a single company of American or Greek soldiers, the Chinese had anticipated an easy capture. Over a period of eight days, vast waves of Chinese Communist Forces would flood into Harry’s trench lines--more than 13,000 soldiers in all. And yet each of the five companies ordered to hold Outpost Harry, when its turn came, held it.

The nightly Chinese assaults would advance and recede with each passing day--a relentless tide that would churn up a roiling, bloody flurry of hand to hand combat. On the night of the first attack, June 10, 1953, the Chinese had outnumbered Harry’s defenders by 30 to 1. “All total, there was a reinforced CCF regiment of approximately 3,600 enemy trying to kill us,” said Captain Martin Markley, commander of K Company, 15th Infantry Regiment. “There was no time to formally prepare the troops spiritually for the possibility of their death in the battle that was about to take place.” By morning, all but a dozen GIs had been killed or severely wounded. But they had held the hill.
The relentless attacks would continue throughout the week, each evening bringing a flood of Chinese soldiers pouring through barbed wire, and on the worst nights, into Harry’s trenches. “We could see them out there near the wire, falling right on top of each other. It just wasn't human,” said Pvt. William McLennan, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, “I guess they wanted Harry. But they didn't get it. They told us to hold it. We did.”
On the seventh day of the siege, Outpost Harry’s defiant, week-long survival and its continued defense were entrusted to the Greek soldiers of Peter Company, Sparta Battalion. Just before the midnight hour of June 17, an entire regiment of nearly 3000 Chinese soldiers burst forth from their positions and stormed the hill’s northern slope. According to official U.S. military records, “Company P of the Greek Battalion, refusing to withdraw, closed in and met the attackers in a furious hand to hand struggle in which many of the enemy were driven off. The aggressors regrouped, quickly attacked a second time, and again gained the friendly trenches. Immediately, the Greek Forces launched a series of counterattacks. After two hours of close-in fighting, the aggressors were again routed and the friendly positions restored.”
It was the last defeat the Chinese Communist Forces could endure in their pursuit of Outpost Harry. Their failed adventure had, in eight days, cost them 4200 casualties. Their entire 74th Division had been decimated. And for the first time in the annals of U.S. military history, five rifle companies together—four American and one Greek—would receive the prestigious Distinguished Unit Citation for the outstanding performance of their shared mission.
Despite its unparalleled intensity, the heroism it engendered, and the international camaraderie uniting its brothers-in-arms, the siege of Outpost Harry is a battle unknown to most, in a war too many have since forgotten.

Director-producer Christos Epperson is proud to announce a new documentary film project dedicated to telling this inspirational story, through interviews with its American and Greek veterans and dramatic re-enactments of key events of the battle. The project was inspired by executive producer Mike Pagomenos, whose father George, an Outpost Harry survivor, recently published his Korean War journal in the Greek language. Following closely in the wake of critical acclaim for Christos Eppersons recent World War II documentary, The 11th Day, Archangel Films looks forward to sharing a never-before-seen glimpse into the harrowing ordeal these Greek and American veterans of the Forgotten War met with such courage, and endured with such sacrifice.

[PhiliptheUniterchaeronea]

Keep such great works coming. I haven't seen it, yet that is, but judging by the response I am pretty confident that I will. Excellent topic. It would be great to see you make films of other Hellenic topics.

[Tsontos]

Archangel, I havent seen any advertising for the screenings. Is there any link with schedules for Australia?

[Amyntas]

and is currently on a worldwide tour in theaters across America, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Any theaters in germany who are part of the tour?