The Kolwezi Drop

700 Legionnaires

Brush Fire Films is currently producing a one hour television documentary on the Kolwezi Drop.

The mystique surrounding The French Foreign Legion has always fascinated audiences around the world with romantic tales such as Beau Geste and March or Die. Todays modern Legion carries on this tradition with tales of great heroism in the face of overwhelming odds. The story of 700 Legionnaires is one of elite fighting men learning to adapt quickly in order to save innocent lives with little or no concern for their own.

Rescuers and hostages meet again for the first time in 24 years to re-live the nightmare and the courage of this event. The programme also delves deep into the men and history of the Legion allowing the viewer a rare insight into France's Mercenary army in action.

The programme retraces the story through interviews alternating between hostages awaiting rescue and veterans of the Legion preparing to jump.

The program will be shot on location at 2nd REPs headquarters in the town of Calvi, Corsica and Africa. The tough Veterans of the Kolwezi operation talk about their experiences in a frank and down to earth manner explaining how they left their base in Corsica, not knowing their destination, but knowing full well they were heading into action and could be killed. The programme will also investigate some of the myths and legends of the French Foreign Legion. It is a rare insight to the myths and legends surrounding the Kepi Blanc.