The War Game

The War Game
Directed by	Peter Watkins
Written by	Peter Watkins
Produced by	Peter Watkins
Narrated by	Michael Aspel Peter Graham
Cinematography	Peter Bartlett Peter Suschitzky (uncredited)
Edited by	Michael Bradsell
Production company	BBC
Distributed by	British Film Institute
Release date	13 April 1966 (1966-04-13)
Running time	47 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The War Game is a 1966 British pseudo-documentary film that depicts a nuclear war and its aftermath.^[1] Written, directed and produced by Peter Watkins for the BBC, it caused dismay within the BBC and also within government, and was subsequently withdrawn before the provisional screening date of 6 October 1965.^[2] The corporation said that "the effect of the film has been judged by the BBC to be too horrifying for the medium of broadcasting. It will, however, be shown to invited audiences..."^[3]

The film eventually premiered at the National Film Theatre in London, on 13 April 1966, where it ran until 3 May.^[4] It was then shown abroad at several film festivals, including the Venice one where it won the Special Prize. It also won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1967.^[5][6]

The film was eventually televised in Great Britain on 31 July 1985, during the week before the fortieth anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, the day before a repeat screening of Threads.^[7]