The Battle of Algiers was proposed by our members Gina Goody and Kate Matheson, who write: 'It is a powerful film that is seldom screened. We were wondering how it would be perceived nowadays, particularly if the allure of Mon Capitaine would still be so enduring...'
One of the most influential political films in history, The Battle of Algiers, by Gillo Pontecorvo, vividly re-creates 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 on the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film is a case study in modern warfare, with its terrorist attacks and the brutal techniques used to combat them. Pontecorvo’s tour de force has astonishing relevance today.
Please note, the screening on Wednesday 5 November is our free members' screening, while the one on Thursday 13 November is a regular screening, which is open to the general public.
