As part of the 50th anniversary of the departure of the US Navy 6th Fleet from its home port, organized in partnership with the Town of Villefranche-sur-Mer and the US Navy League, the Association Les Américains et la 6e Flotte produced a 52-minute documentary film entitled: Home Away From Home.

Unpublished photographs, contemporary film and video of the ceremonies of January, 2017, combine with fascinating memories told with emotion by the witnesses of the past.

This project, launched by the Association, enabled two young directors to get involved in the unique conception of this historic film, thanks in particular to the support of the ESRA Côte d’Azur and many partners and sponsors such as Thales Underwater Systems, the Metropole, the Regional and Departmental Councils, the CCI and the participation of the cinema section of the Amicale des anciens élèves de Villefranche and MC Clic Monaco who took breath-taking aerial images.

USS Carney in the harbor of Villefranche-sur-Mer – 20 January 2017 – Drone photo by MC CLIC MONACO

 

Hugo Le Gourrierec, young director of short films, documentaries and assistant director of around ten feature films, explains his passion like this: “Through these historic encounters we discovered many fascinating human stories linked by a shared feeling: humanity. Country, religion, color of skin or politics do not matter, it’s a film about an extraordinary human adventure which every spectator can identify with through these images loaded with emotions. In these 52 minutes of images, we cross the unknown, encounters, friendship, love, family, separation, death … and the future of humanity to which we are headed. It is quite representative of the experience of each human being in the course of their life, whatever the circumstances. It is universal as the film, or rather this page of history, concludes. Our history, our local history which is in our very guts.”

Hugo Le Gourrierec and Florent Plana

 

As for Florent Plana, a history enthusiast who, amongst other things, conducted 40 interviews in a week, his dream is to establish a museum for American veterans of the Second World War in Normandy (WWII Veterans Memories): “The better you know your past, you can build a better future.”

The score for the film was composed by Baptiste Leblanc, graduate of the Music International Academy (MAI) in Nancy, who already has a previous film score to his credit.

Gala dinner of 21st January, 2017 – 50Th Anniversary of US Sixth Fleet’s departure from Villefranche-sur-Mer

 

Supported by their director Thierry Collard and their teacher Frédéric Lamasse, six students of the famous Film school ESRA Côte d’Azur also took part in this cinematographic work directed by Hugo Le Gourrierec during the commemoration ceremonies which took place in Villefranche-sur-Mer in January 2017. For that occasion, they presented a “teaser” which is available online at the Association’s Website: VIDEOS.

Valérie Blouin, Association Chair, commented: “I am very happy that this film was made with all these young enthusiasts who worked hard to bring this ambitious project to fruition. We have passed the torch to a new generation and in our own way we have written a page of shared history between our nations thanks to the indestructible links based on friendship and unwavering memories. I am convinced the public will take this unique work to their hearts. The film will soon be available online then it will tour many festivals organized in France and the USA.”

Book your seat at the Office de Tourisme de Villefranche-sur-Mer or call 04.93.76.33.69 for the next screening scheduled for Sunday 24 September at 2.30pm in the Auditorium of the Citadelle of Villefranche.

Other screenings are already scheduled in October in Nice (Mercury Cinema) and later in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. All information on the Facebook page us6fleet.vsm and Twitter.

So, all set for an emotional time to discover for yourself these few pages of our local history?