One of the most influential films in history, Gillo Pontecorvo’s film vividly recreates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s. As violence escalates on both sides, children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés, and French soldiers resort to torture to break the will of the insurgents. Shot in documentary style, the film is a case study in modern warfare, with its terrorist attacks and the brutal techniques used to combat them.
As powerful today as it was on its original release, The Battle of Algiers is, perhaps, even more relevant in today’s global political climate than ever before and makes for essential viewing.