The War Game

+ Samira Ahmed remembers Peter Watkins in an extended conversation with Kevin Brownlow, Kodwo Eshun and Kristofer Woods

The BBC banned Peter Watkins’ notorious films about a future nuclear attack, and yet in 1966 it won an Oscar – for best documentary.

  • Director

    Peter Watkins

  • With

    Dick Graham, Michael Aspel

  • BBC 1965. 46min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    12A

A documentary report from the future, Watkins’ harrowing film confronts the possibility of a nuclear bomb being dropped on Kent and its aftermath. One of the single most powerful arguments for nuclear disarmament, The War Game was pulled from BBC broadcast at the urgent request of a British government, who were fearful of its population’s response to the film. It screens here with Watkins’ little-known public information film about an unscheduled, emergency military plane landing.

William Fowler

+ The Controllers

UK 1963. Director Peter Watkins. 8min. Video

The screening of The War Game on Monday 17 August will be introduced by season co-curator William Fowler.