ViewBytes: The Battle of Algiers

The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966) depicts French colonized Algieria, shot on location in black and white. Its newsreel, documentary style  revolves around the National Liberation Front (FLN), an Algerian guerrilla resistance fighting against the French in Algiers, the capital of French Algeria.

The film follows Ali La Pointe, a petty Algerian street thief who rises through the ranks of the FLN, ultimately becoming a respected leader within the resistance. Throughout the film, Ali is mirrored by Colonel Philippe Mathieu, the French general determined to outsmart the revolution.

While the French try to eliminate bigwigs of the FLN, they end up killing innocent Algierians, and n retaliation, the FLN begin targeting Eupoean cafes and store fronts.

In one scene, just as a member of the FLN places a bomb in a European cafe, a close up of an infant inside is shown. Moments later, the building explodes.

In America, we call that collateral damage.

Here’s the Trailer:

Also: You can watch the entire film online, for free, at google video.