The Metalldetektor

In his retirement, Georg has taken up metal detecting in the hills near his house outside Graz, Austria. Curious about a story his mother always told him about a World War II-era B17 that crashed on a neighboring hillside, he guesses at its crash site, ventures into the woods, and—much to his surprise—immediately begins exhuming engine parts. What follows is an emotional journey into the difficult history of his town… into the lives of the American Airmen who perilously parachuted into this one-time enemy territory… into locating and contacting their bewildered descendants… and ultimately into uniting the town with the families of these Airmen on the 75th anniversary of the crash.

Contains archival depictions of air combat, potential loss of life, and POW processing. Viewer discretion advised.

Award Nominations | Best Documentary Short
Honorable Mention | Founders’ Choice

Precedes

Jerry’s Last Mission

Directed by Louisa Merino

This is the story of how a World War II P-51 fighter pilot overcame PTSD and how he was forced to face his enemy once again when his youngest son moved to Japan and married the daughter of a Kamikaze pilot.