ANCESTRY.CO.UK TO PARTNER WITH DREAMWORKS PICTURES FILM, WAR HORSE
Ancestry.co.uk announces promotional partnership with Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of the hit novel and theatrical production
Ancestry.co.uk, the UK’s favourite family history website, announces its promotional partnership with DreamWorks Pictures’ War Horse, the much-anticipated film adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, which is scheduled for its UK theatrical release on 13th January 2012.
Produced by DreamWorks Pictures and distributed by Walt Disney Motion Pictures, UK through the Touchstone Pictures banner, it is directed by Stephen Spielberg.
DreamWorks Pictures’ War Horse, director Steven Spielberg’s epic adventure, is a tale of loyalty, hope and tenacity set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War. War Horse begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets—British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land.
The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. War Horse is one of the great stories of friendship and war— a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is currently on Broadway and in the West End. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.
Reality was equally tragic. When the war began in 1914, the British army had just 25,000 horses and the War Office was tasked to recruit more, which were needed to pull heavy guns, transport weapons and supplies, carry the wounded to hospital and to mount cavalry charges.
During the first year of conflict the countryside was emptied of shire horses and riding ponies, which was agonising for farming families who often had already said goodbye to a family member. In total one million horses were sent to the Western Front during the war, but only around 67,000 returned home.
War Horse will shine light on the story of the million brave horses that served in the War, which is highlighted further through the partnership with Ancestry.co.uk. It includes TV and print advertising, a dedicated competition webpage on www.ancestry.co.uk/warhorse with exclusive content and a co-branded Facebook presence with various to-be-revealed promotional elements.
Ancestry.co.uk International Commerce and Business Development Director Angela Crouch comments: “Our members will absolutely love this film and the war-related theme fits perfectly with our unrivalled historical collections, which document the human heroes of so many historic conflicts. They will also have the chance to win prizes and get access to film footage through our dedicated competition webpage.”
For those researching any war hero ancestor, Ancestry.co.uk has the most comprehensive collection of WWI military records available online, including British Army WWI Service and Pension Records and WWI Medal Index cards.
(With thanks to Adrian at Ancestry)
Chris
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