Here, for the first time is the true story of the man who master-minded The Great Escape of World War 2. Squadron-Leader Roger Bushell was a young London barrister, an auxiliary pilot and a champion skier when he was shot-down early on in the war. His dare-devil personality did not succumb to captivity and he escaped three times: once, to within 100 yards of the Swiss border, the second time to Prague where he was hidden by the Czech Resistance for six months. He was then betrayed and, suspected of being a spy involved in the assassination of Nazi Protector Reinhard Heydrich, he was taken to Berlin and severely interrogated by the Gestapo. In spite of their threat to shoot him if he ever escaped again, Bushell immediately accepted the role of "Big X" on his return to Stalag Luft 111, a top-security German camp. He encouraged others never to give up the hope of freedom for which he was prepared to die. After 18 months of preparation, one of the greatest escapes of WW2 took place: 76 men tunneled under the wire without being detected. Their aim to distract the enemy succeeded as it was estimated that 5 million Germans were deployed to re-capture them. But Hitler's rage was uncontainable. He personally ordered a terrible reckoning. Intense and gripping, the film is both a thriller and a tragedy.

Dir. Lindy Wilson

Date: 2009, Length: 84 mins