Film guide 1966
The Battle of Algiers
A city becomes the contested ground of Algeria’s struggle for independence from French colonial rule.
- Original title
- La battaglia di Algeri
- Director
- Gillo Pontecorvo
- Year
- 1966
Editorial profile. Availability on LAREINE TV has not been confirmed.
Story, without spoilers
In 1950s Algiers, Ali La Pointe enters the underground independence movement. As the organisation grows, Colonel Mathieu directs the French response. The story moves between the Casbah, crowded streets and military operations, tracing how escalating violence reshapes the lives of fighters and civilians.
Context & recognition
Gillo Pontecorvo filmed on location in black and white, using a largely nonprofessional cast. The screenplay draws on Saadi Yacef’s account; its documentary appearance belongs to a carefully constructed historical drama.
Main characters & cast
Ali La Pointe
Brahim Haggiag
A recruit to the Algerian independence movement.
Colonel Mathieu
Jean Martin
The officer directing French counterinsurgency operations.
El-hadi Jaffar
Saadi Yacef
An FLN commander who recruits Ali.
