Happy Independence Day, Algeria. Today we are exploring the history, inspiration, and impact of the world-renowned film, The Battle of Algiers.

The Battle of Algiers is a 1966 film that depicts the Algerian war for independence, a 7-year battle that resulted in the deaths of between 300,000 and 1.5 million Algerians, in addition to 18,000 French casualties. 

France began operating as a colonial power in Algeria in 1830. By 1959, over a million ex-pats composed of French, Italian, and Spanish communities lived in Algeria and were a working-class who enjoyed a higher quality of living than many of the local population. After more than 240,000 Algerians fought for France in World War II, and experienced unsatisfactory improvements in the socio-economic status of Algeria, agitated armed groups sought change, and allied to create the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN). Algerian suffragist Saadi Yacef, who was one of the leaders of FLN, says the lack of change after fighting France’s war, in addition to witnessing failed attempts by the French to conquer countries like Morocco, Tunisia, and Madagascar, invigorated FLN to begin the war with France for their independence. 

(Saadi Yacef. Image by elvas68 via Flickr)

From 1954 to 1962, the fight for Algerian independence from France, known as the Algerian War, ravaged the country. NLF catalyzed the war for independence by attacking  French military posts, and murdering European ex-pats and Algerians loyal to the French. Throughout the war, innocent bystanders, NLF loyalists, and French loyalists were killed through battle, bombs, torture, and more.

Yacef merged activism with art, by playing a crucial part in recreating real-life scenes from the war and by playing himself in The Battle of Algiers. He commissioned Italian filmmakers Franco Solinas and Gillo Pontecorvo to make the film, recruited victims from the Algerian War to act in the film, and was able to tell directors exactly how battles went because he witnessed it firsthand.

Due to France’s political agenda, The Battle of Algiers was forbidden from being shown in France until 1972.

(Image by DRMVM1 via Flickr)

In a 2016 interview, Yacef, who is the last survivor of the NLF, advocated for nations to refrain from building weapons of mass destruction, and to promote peace in the world.

Watch the trailer for The Battle of Algiers here.

Citations

https://www.criterion.com/films/248-the-battle-of-algiers

https://www.britannica.com/event/Algerian-War

https://sagharborexpress.com/saadi-yacef-describes-role-battle-algiers/?wallit_nosession=1

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13698010701618646?journalCode=riij20

https://www.musee-armee.fr/ExpositionAlgerie/algeria-wwi-wwii-and-indochina-1914-1954.html

https://sites.tufts.edu/atrocityendings/2015/08/07/algeria-war-of-independence/