La Guerre des boutons

This story of young boys from the French countryside is more moving than entertaining... The Longevernes and Velrans are two groups of boys from neighboring villages. They hate each other with a verve and fight with the determination of their brave children's hearts. Their unconventional war trophies (buttons, belts and shoelaces) cause their enemies beatings and equally bitter parents at home. The boys undergo a severe test that teaches them what the most important thing in life is. The author of this classic of world literature is Louis Pergaud, who wrote the novels as a protest against war. It was directed by Yves Robert, who returned to children's issues in other successful films like My Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle. War of the Buttons was the most popular French film at the end of the 1950s and early '60s. (Zlín Film Festival)