Latest news with #Julienne
Wall Street Journal
08-05-2025
- Wall Street Journal
Fiction: ‘The Remembered Soldier' by Anjet Daanje
They were called les morts vivants, or the living dead. These were survivors of the battlefields of World War I who were so severely shell-shocked that they no longer knew who they were. Some were catatonic, some schizophrenic. In rare cases, they suffered from post-traumatic retrograde amnesia, an inability to remember any of their past, and if their identity tags had gone missing they would have been rendered anonymous. The men were housed in asylums. Their photos were advertised in newspapers and desperately scrutinized by the countless parents and widows whose loved ones had gone missing at the front. The most famous case was that of a man known as Anthelme Mangin, who was claimed by upward of 20 families. A custody dispute continued into the late 1930s, almost until the end of Mangin's damaged life. The Dutch writer Anjet Daanje has borrowed loosely from the Mangin case for her big, powerful drama of love and memory, 'The Remembered Soldier.' The Flemish-speaking soldier of this novel is called Noon Merckem, because in 1917 he was discovered around midday, wandering around a battlefield near Merckem, a village in the Flanders region of Belgium (he appears to have been involved in the Battle of Passchendaele). Since the end of the war, he has lived in the Guislain Asylum in Ghent, alone and with no idea of who he used to be. But in 1922 Julienne Coppens, a Belgian woman responding to an advertisement, recognizes him as her missing husband. He is, she says, Amand Stephaan Coppens, the proprietor of a photography studio and the father of two. Amand, as he must now get used to being called, leaves the asylum with Julienne, and Ms. Daanje progresses patiently through the stages of their acclimation. Initially he resides in their home as a guest, anxious and uncomfortable. Julienne is standoffish as well, assailed by longings but fearful of scaring Amand away. Gradually they begin to work side by side in the photography studio. Proximity softens their doubts and an intimacy blooms. For Amand, who cannot remember their earlier married life, this is a newlywed's passion, and the novel revels in the excitement of his 'puppy love.' The rub is that, in his dreams, Amand's memories are slowly returning, but they are not of Julienne—they are nightmares of battlefield slaughter that he cannot reconcile with his newfound domestic happiness. Here 'The Remembered Soldier' begins to explore the gray area between performance and reality. Amand and Julienne embrace the roles of the joyful couple reunited by the hand of providence while papering over Amand's panic attacks and strange, dissociative episodes. As word spreads of his homecoming and Amand plays the part of 'the miracle man' returned from the dead, he feels surprised by 'how easily his life can be reshaped into an inspiring story, correct in every factual detail, yet a lie from beginning to end.'
Scotsman
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Call the Midwife film and WW2 spin-off announced
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Call the Midwife is getting a WW2 set prequel and is heading to the big screen! 🤱 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Call the Midwife is heading to the big screen. A film has been confirmed by the BBC. While a WW2-set prequel show has been announced. Call the Midwife's 'iconic' characters are heading to the big screen, it has been announced. The BBC has laid out its plans for the future of the beloved historical drama. A spin-off series set during World War II, featuring younger versions of familiar faces, has also been confirmed. It is due to be released next year - as well as a regular season of the hit show. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Beeb has also offered up a few morsels about this year's Christmas special. It is quite the busy time for the inhabitants of Nonnatus House. Here's all you need to know: BBC confirms exciting plans for Call the Midwife Christmas special Once again fans will be treated to a double dose of festive action this year as a two-part special has been announced. And in a major twist, much of the action will take place away from Poplar. The 2025 Christmas special of Call the Midwife will be set in Hong Kong - as well as its usual London home. It will be followed by a regular season in January 2026. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A brief tease reads: 'When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As the Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. Call the Midwife cast on set of 2025 Christmas special | Neal Street / Olly Courtney 'After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do. This change of energy reverberates throughout series 15. The new series kicks off in 1971 with several of the ladies embracing Women's Lib and burning their bras outside Nonnatus House. 'As the year unfolds, we see the team handle cases including premature birth, placenta previa, kidney cancer, tuberculosis and slavery.' Call the Midwife set for spin-off and a film However the news doesn't stop with an update on this year's Christmas special. The world of Nonnatus House will also be expanding. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A prequel TV series set in Poplar during World War Two will be made for the BBC in 2026. In addition, Neal Street, in development with BBC Film, are producing a Call the Midwife film. Not many details have been announced about the movie, except that it will be set overseas in 1972 and feature iconic characters from the show. Heidi Thomas OBE, creator and writer, says: 'The opening of new doors at Nonnatus House feels profoundly emotional, and yet just right. I have never run out of stories for our midwives, and I never will. 'But having wept, laughed, and raged my way from 1957 to 1971, I found myself yearning to delve into the deeper past. The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary - filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The bombs fell, the babies kept on coming, and the Sisters kept on going. There will be so much in the prequel for our wonderful, loyal fans, including the appearance of some familiar (if much younger!) faces.' She added: 'As the classic Call the Midwife series moves further into the 1970s, it also seems the perfect time for our much-loved regulars to take a short break from Poplar and test themselves in an unfamiliar landscape. The rise in hospital births, and changes in the NHS, have clipped their wings, and this is their chance to take flight and work out what really matters. 'Whilst the location of the film remains top-secret, I can say it is going to look absolutely fantastic on the big screen.' Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
North Wales Chronicle
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
BBC announces new Call the Midwife prequel series and film
The announcement comes as production for series 15 of the popular BBC series gets underway. Eight new hour-long episodes of Call the Midwife, set in the East End, will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from January 2026. The new series (series 15) will follow a two-part Christmas special, which will be set in Hong Kong and Poplar. Top 10 best British TV series What to expect from series 15 of Call the Midwife The BBC said the Call the Midwife Christmas special will see senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, while the younger midwives are left to cope alone. The broadcaster continued: "As the Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. "After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do." This "change of energy" then continues into series 15. The BBC explains: "The new series kicks off in 1971 with several of the ladies embracing Women's Lib and burning their bras outside Nonnatus House. "As the year unfolds, we see the team handle cases including premature birth, placenta previa, kidney cancer, tuberculosis and slavery." There are also already plans for a series 16, which will come in "due course". Call the Midwife cast returning for series 15 The cast members returning for series 15 of Call the Midwife will be: Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne Laura Main as Shelagh Turner Helen George as Trixie Aylward Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle Stephen McGann as Dr Turner Linda Bassett as Nurse Crane Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford Molly Vevers as Sister Catherine Max Macmillan as Timothy Turner Alice Brown as Angela Turner April Rae Hoang as May Tang Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner Regular cast members including Linda Bassett (Nurse Crane) and Helen George (Trixie Aylward) will be returning for series 15 of Call the Midwife. (Image: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Olly Courtney) BBC announces Call the Midwife prequel series Call the Midwife fans, it's time to get even more excited because the world of Nonnatus House will also be expanding. A prequel TV series set in Poplar during World War II will be made for the BBC in 2026. Call the Midwife film also planned In addition to the two new TV series, Neal Street (production company), in development with BBC Film, is producing a Call the Midwife film. The BBC said: "This will be set overseas in 1972 and feature iconic characters from the existing TV show." The new projects will be written, created and produced by the all-female team behind the hugely successful current hit TV show: Heidi Thomas (showrunner) Pippa Harris (executive producer) Ann Tricklebank (executive producer) Heidi Thomas OBE said: 'The opening of new doors at Nonnatus House feels profoundly emotional, and yet just right. "I have never run out of stories for our midwives, and I never will. But having wept, laughed, and raged my way from 1957 to 1971, I found myself yearning to delve into the deeper past. "The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary - filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy. "The bombs fell, the babies kept on coming, and the Sisters kept on going. "There will be so much in the prequel for our wonderful, loyal fans, including the appearance of some familiar (if much younger!) faces." Thomas continued: "As the classic Call the Midwife series moves further into the 1970s, it also seems the perfect time for our much-loved regulars to take a short break from Poplar and test themselves in an unfamiliar landscape. "The rise in hospital births, and changes in the NHS, have clipped their wings, and this is their chance to take flight and work out what really matters. "Whilst the location of the film remains top-secret, I can say it is going to look absolutely fantastic on the big screen!' Call The Midwife! We're expecting a two-part Christmas special, series 15, a prequel set in Poplar during World War Two AND a film set overseas in 1972, featuring iconic characters from the existing TV show. Get all the info ➡️ — BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) May 6, 2025 Dame Pippa Harris DBE added: 'We have all been delighted by the way in which audiences have continued to embrace Heidi's imaginative and moving stories from Nonnatus House. "In an increasingly competitive viewing environment not only have our loyal fans stayed with us for 14 years, but they've been joined by a new, younger generation who have also fallen in love with our characters and the challenges they face. "Emboldened by this warmth and enthusiasm, now feels like the right time to expand our world and take our nuns and midwives onto the big screen with our movie, and back in time with the prequel!' RECOMMENDED READING: Director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt, said: 'Call the Midwife has been a jewel in the BBC's crown for well over a decade, and this feels like the perfect time to further expand on the glorious, perfectly realised world that Heidi, Pippa, Annie and the team have created for the show's millions of passionate and dedicated viewers. "Whether you've been watching from the very start or joined us for one of the more recent series, this is an incredibly exciting time to be a Call the Midwife fan.' Further details about the Call the Midwife prequel TV series and the film will be released later this year.
The Herald Scotland
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
BBC announces new Call the Midwife prequel series and film
Eight new hour-long episodes of Call the Midwife, set in the East End, will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from January 2026. The new series (series 15) will follow a two-part Christmas special, which will be set in Hong Kong and Poplar. Top 10 best British TV series What to expect from series 15 of Call the Midwife The BBC said the Call the Midwife Christmas special will see senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, while the younger midwives are left to cope alone. The broadcaster continued: "As the Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. "After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do." This "change of energy" then continues into series 15. The BBC explains: "The new series kicks off in 1971 with several of the ladies embracing Women's Lib and burning their bras outside Nonnatus House. "As the year unfolds, we see the team handle cases including premature birth, placenta previa, kidney cancer, tuberculosis and slavery." There are also already plans for a series 16, which will come in "due course". Call the Midwife cast returning for series 15 The cast members returning for series 15 of Call the Midwife will be: Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne Laura Main as Shelagh Turner Helen George as Trixie Aylward Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle Stephen McGann as Dr Turner Linda Bassett as Nurse Crane Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford Molly Vevers as Sister Catherine Max Macmillan as Timothy Turner Alice Brown as Angela Turner April Rae Hoang as May Tang Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner Regular cast members including Linda Bassett (Nurse Crane) and Helen George (Trixie Aylward) will be returning for series 15 of Call the Midwife. (Image: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Olly Courtney) BBC announces Call the Midwife prequel series Call the Midwife fans, it's time to get even more excited because the world of Nonnatus House will also be expanding. A prequel TV series set in Poplar during World War II will be made for the BBC in 2026. Call the Midwife film also planned In addition to the two new TV series, Neal Street (production company), in development with BBC Film, is producing a Call the Midwife film. The BBC said: "This will be set overseas in 1972 and feature iconic characters from the existing TV show." The new projects will be written, created and produced by the all-female team behind the hugely successful current hit TV show: Heidi Thomas (showrunner) Pippa Harris (executive producer) Ann Tricklebank (executive producer) Heidi Thomas OBE said: 'The opening of new doors at Nonnatus House feels profoundly emotional, and yet just right. "I have never run out of stories for our midwives, and I never will. But having wept, laughed, and raged my way from 1957 to 1971, I found myself yearning to delve into the deeper past. "The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary - filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy. "The bombs fell, the babies kept on coming, and the Sisters kept on going. "There will be so much in the prequel for our wonderful, loyal fans, including the appearance of some familiar (if much younger!) faces." Thomas continued: "As the classic Call the Midwife series moves further into the 1970s, it also seems the perfect time for our much-loved regulars to take a short break from Poplar and test themselves in an unfamiliar landscape. "The rise in hospital births, and changes in the NHS, have clipped their wings, and this is their chance to take flight and work out what really matters. "Whilst the location of the film remains top-secret, I can say it is going to look absolutely fantastic on the big screen!' Call The Midwife! We're expecting a two-part Christmas special, series 15, a prequel set in Poplar during World War Two AND a film set overseas in 1972, featuring iconic characters from the existing TV show. Get all the info ➡️ — BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) May 6, 2025 Dame Pippa Harris DBE added: 'We have all been delighted by the way in which audiences have continued to embrace Heidi's imaginative and moving stories from Nonnatus House. "In an increasingly competitive viewing environment not only have our loyal fans stayed with us for 14 years, but they've been joined by a new, younger generation who have also fallen in love with our characters and the challenges they face. "Emboldened by this warmth and enthusiasm, now feels like the right time to expand our world and take our nuns and midwives onto the big screen with our movie, and back in time with the prequel!' RECOMMENDED READING: Director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt, said: 'Call the Midwife has been a jewel in the BBC's crown for well over a decade, and this feels like the perfect time to further expand on the glorious, perfectly realised world that Heidi, Pippa, Annie and the team have created for the show's millions of passionate and dedicated viewers. "Whether you've been watching from the very start or joined us for one of the more recent series, this is an incredibly exciting time to be a Call the Midwife fan.' Further details about the Call the Midwife prequel TV series and the film will be released later this year.
