The Battle of Algiers (2016)

This is a film based on true events - the war between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front from 1954 to 1962, which led to Algeria gaining its independence from France. An important decolonization war, it was a complex conflict characterized by guerrilla warfare, maquis fighting, and the use of torture by both sides. The Battle of Algiers remains to this day an important film associated with Italian neo-realism cinema. A failure to win "hearts and minds" it was considered as important material by some in the consideration of the outcome of a War on Terror in Iraq and perhaps even highly prescient. It is a highly dramatic film shot in a documentary reel style with non-actors. While banned for five years in France it now is considered one of the great films of the 20th Century. Its achievement is not only its power of storyline and narrative but the effect of appearing as truth stylistically. No stock news footage is used which is astonishing for the realism it succeeded in depicting. Its value has increased from a historical point of view because those involved with the actual skirmishes and conflict will no doubt have seen the film differently in 1966.

THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS is a war drama film that, in a realistic way, describes events during the Algerian War. On the other hand, it is a traditional view of a conflict between a guerrilla movement for the liberation and a colonial superiority. Mr. Pontecorvo was inspired by the Italian neo-realism, which is evident in authentic locations and his documentary expression. Of course, when it comes to style, I would pull a thin line between this film and the film "Rome, Open City" by Roberto Rossellini. The Battle of Algiers reconstructs the events that occurred in the capital city of French Algeria between November 1954 and December 1957, during the Algerian War of Independence. The story begins and ends from the perspective of Ali la Pointe, a petty criminal who is politically radicalized while in prison. He has joined the secretive organization in order to help rid the Casbah of vice associated with the colonial government. Ali is becoming one of the leading members of the National Liberation Front (FLN). The film traces the rebels' struggle and the increasingly extreme measures taken by the French government to quell what soon becomes a nationwide revolt...This film, in a credible way, shows crimes against civilians, through an uncontrolled guerrilla war in an urban area. We have a very difficult task to draw a parallel between the bombings as one of the terrifying form of terrorism, and the colonial power, which is reflected through different forms of lynchings, torture and intimidation. Colonizer and colonized commit atrocities against civilians. The politicians, as always, tactical discuss some obvious facts. Some scenes from indigenous districts are frightening, while people falling into puddles of blood and after each new news something explodes. There is no some melodramatic plot, direction is too realistic to some part could be ignored.The characterization is very good.Brahim Haggiag as Ali la Pointe is the personification of a guerrilla fighter, who has mixed up his own life purpose and a strong desire for freedom. Saadi Yacef as Djafar is a very convincing as a leader and tactician of the National Liberation Front.Jean Martin as Lieutenant-Colonel Mathieu is a tenacious officer who intends to defeat his opponent, with a certain military respect, at any cost.Well, some have won the battle, while the other have won the war, and many of them have lost their lives.

With the Italian-Algerian film "The Battle of Algiers" from 1966, Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo managed to create a timeless classic and a great depiction of a long and fierce conflict between the French colonial power and the Arab population in the city of Algiers. Shot in an Italian neorealism style and with a documentary-type editing and effective black-and-white photography, the film has all the aesthetics to give to viewer the feeling of being there, in the centre of actions, showing that both of the parts of the conflict were guilty of awful crimes.

Any audience whose country got independence from the colonialism of either British or French or Portuguese can easily correlate to this well crafted political and historical feature of the battle of Algiers from 1954 to 1962. The movie mainly focuses on the period of 1954-1958, the earlier uprising of the FLN (the Algerian National Liberation Front) in Algiers Casbah and the subsequent attacks and counterattacks which led to the Operation Champagne from french military. Then briefly shows the nationwide agitation and protests onto the Independence on July 1962. This Black and White movie is made as feature film as well as narrative, documentary style.Learn History through Movies: The Battle of Algiers.