This film will take viewers on a tour through post-WWII Belgium. Music for the production was done by Cesar Frank (:10) and it is presented by The Belgium Government Information Center (:07). Philip Clarke narrates (:13) and it commences with a map of Belgium with as the capital Brussels (:26). The Northern Sea is banked by thousands of miles of sand dunes (:58). For generations this sea has provided subsistence for residents of the coastal cities (1:04). Footage of fishermen on horseback (1:26). They would cast a net over the saddle and hang baskets for their catch over the sides (1:26). Mackerel and other fish jump onto a ship’s deck (1:46). Behind the sand dunes, lay the villages dotted with windmills (2:17) as they were popular in the area of Flanders in the northwest. Desert land had been turned into gardens (2:51). Culture here traces its roots in Gaelic and Roman traditions (3:13). Houses within the village are white washed and red roofed (3:25) and a water mill is set within town (3:29). Picturesque shots of Ardennes include rolling hills, forests and valleys as this area is know for its beautiful landscape (3:47). Wallonia is one of the oldest parts of western Europe (3:56). Every inch of the land possible was used for farming including high in the mountains (4:59) as farmers only had five million acres available (5:09). Lumber is harvested from the slopes (5:27) and a truck rides down the road (5:33). From here the film moves into the industrial area (5:45) beginning with a steel mill (5:50). From within the mill, machines are at work pumping out commodities which had once been made by hand (6:25). Cables which connected the country with the world’s markets are moved through a machine (6:47). The area was known for its leather in mediaeval times and it was still produced here as a leather shoe is stitched together (7:08). Skilled craftsmen produced items like hand painted ceramic tiles (7:16) and the famous Val St. Lambert glass (7:21). From silverware production (7:43) to plates and interior design, homes were being installed with modern decoration and fashion (8:16). Industrialization lead to the need of better transportation exampled in bus lines, trains (8:34) and canals. Albert Canal (8:56) runs through northeastern Belgium and was the unfortunate scene of heavy fighting during WW2. The main port city is Antwerp (9:16) and this is where Allied troops had dropped supplies (9:42). Picturesque shots follow of sailing (9:58), sail wagon sporting (10:26), and prior to WW2, horses training along the waterline (10:26). A view from the River Meuse follows with the old towns lined up against it (11:26). The city of Dinant presents preserved old churches and cathedrals (11:31). One of the oldest cities located in the north western region near the French border is Veurne (11:55). The town combines gothic, renaissance and baroque elements and a traditional festival known as the Procession of Penitents (12:03) is shown. This is a centuries old religious tradition in which marchers cover themselves in clothes, carry crosses and other religious symbols (12:25) and exhibit genuine penitence. Bruges, known as the city of bridges and as one of the richest areas (12:41), is shown with one of the remaining gateways into the city as well as the river Reie running up against the buildings (13:43). The mansions and guild houses of the area follow (13:59) and lead into church art and sculptures (14:24). The renowned Tournai Cathedral is shown with five towers (14:54) as well as the city of Ghent which had been world known since the 7th century (14:59). Gravensteen, which is translated into the Castle of Counts and once housed the Counts of Flanders, (15:04) exemplifies the medieval and gothic style of the area. Located on the Dender river, is the city of Aalst which also retained its gothic style (15:56). The capitol, Bruges, follows with a shot of its market square surrounded by historic halls (16:26) as well as shots of its annual processions and folk festivals held in the streets (16:40). Buildings in Antwerp still retain the style from when it was the greatest seaport in the world (17:15). Perhaps the most well-known staples of Belgium is the Cathedral of Notre Dam (17:31). The famed artwork, ‘The Adoration of the Lamb’ follows (18:11). Other artists and their works represented are Quentin Matsys (19:07), Pieter Bruegel (19:34), Peter Paul Rubens (20:11), David Teniers (20:27), and Jacob Jordaens (20:31). The End (21:00).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com