Filmmaker Spotlight
Desertion
Directed by Chantal Lorang
After World War II, a military chaplain remembers the young Luxembourger Josy Lorang, who was forcibly conscripted into the Wehrmacht and sent to the Eastern Front. Traumatized by the horrors inflicted on the civilian population, Josy decides to desert…
About the Film
After the Second World War, a military chaplain remembers the young Luxembourger Josy Lorang—a reluctant soldier who had been forcibly conscripted into the Wehrmacht and sent to the Eastern Front.
There, he witnessed horrors that would haunt him for the rest of his life: the suffering of civilians, the brutality of war, and its devastation. Unable to bear what he had seen, Josy made a fateful decision: he deserted.
But his freedom lasted only a few days.
The Wehrmacht captured him and threw him into prison, where he was left to await his fate. For an entire month, Josy wrote letters to his young wife, Margot, and to his parents. In those letters, he poured out his fear, his love, and his desperate hope—never knowing whether he would survive the war, whether he would ever walk free again, or whether he would see his beloved family one last time.
Content notes: Nudity · Sexual content · Graphic violence
- Runtime
- 30 min
- Category
- Short Film
- Country
- Luxembourg
- Year
- 2025
- Language
- German
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9
Stills
Chantal Lorang
- born on the 26st of July 1969 in Luxembourg - 1989-1990: German literature and language studies - 1990-1994: German literature, language and media studies (Universität Trier) Film projects: Gwendolyn (1991, actress) Der Fremde (1994) - Since 1995: Highschool-teacher for German literature, language and practical media Articles about culture, literature and architecture
Various cinematic projects filmed exclusively on iphone (2019-present):
- Nature morte, 2019:
- La terre est bleue comme une orange, 2020
- The seaside is our home, 2021
- Requiem for a snowman (2022)
- Parenthèse parisienne (2022)
- Behind the Mask, 2023
- Desertion, 2025
— Director’s statement
Art symbolises the meaning of our existence. I like creating beautiful, complex, musically and visually stimulating films that have a lasting effect on the viewer. My close-up shots and the actors’ body language as well as facial expressions are meant to provide a mirror into the soul and human psyche of the characters. It’s not about entertainment, but something more serious like human nature and poetry. Poetry is fundamental to the nature of cinema. I’m always looking for metaphorical images, and I thrive to express myself metaphorically. Every shot contains ambiguity, a deeper meaning. I’m trying to get the viewer to analyse and interpret the story of my film like a literary text.
Credits
- Directed by
- Chantal Lorang
- Written by
- Chantal Lorang
- Produced by
- YouthTube.lu
- Production company
- YouthTube.lu
- Cinematography
- Chantal Lorang
- Editing
- Chantal Lorang
- Production design
- Chantal Lorang
- Sound
- Marc Erang
- Music
- Audiio.com / "Lili Marleen" sung by Marlene Dietrich written by Hans Leip, Norbert Schultze (music rights provided by Universal International Music)
- Principal cast
- Günther Tilmant - Josy Lorang Rafael Springer - Priest Yves Schmitz - Lieutenant 1 Mia Meyer - Margot Ross
— Festival history
- Festival National du Film d’Auteur 2025: 1. Preis Kategorie Fiction Grand Prix – Meilleur Film du Festival. - International Female Film Festival (FFF) Februar 2026: Best Story. - Los Angeles Movie & Music Video Awards Festival 2026: Best Indie Short Film / Low Budget (unter 25.000 USD). - Best Indie Film Awards 2026 (Low Budget): Official selection - Faith in Film - International Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition: Nominee
Desertion is part of the Official Selection of the BIUFF Founding Edition 2026 — 75 films from 32 countries. See the full programme.