The Battle of Algiers

Review by Tanner Wright

The short:

Focusing on the revolutionary fighter Ali La Pointe, this film portrays the events of the Battle of Algiers during the Algerian War of Independence.

The long:

This 1966 film approaches the Algerian War of Independence with a strikingly even-handed portrayal of the French colonial regime and the guerrilla fighters of the National Liberation Front (FLN) as they clash over control of the city of Algiers. Opening with the final stand of Ali La Pointe and several other liberation fighters, the film portrays the series of events leading up to this stand that involve brutal French repression of the Algerian public, the FLN’s urban warfare tactics employed to retake the Casbah, and the lives of ordinary people in a city engulfed by revolution. Shot on scene in Algiers, this film was shot primarily employing local actors who lived through the battle.

To watch or not to watch:

Watch! Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, this film is fantastic in its depiction of guerrilla warfare tactics as well as its universal message of a people longing for freedom. Banned in France for several years following its release, the film offers a refreshingly non-Euro-centric portrayal of a key battle in the decolonization movement of the late 20th century.