Left of the Projector The Battle of Algiers (1966)
This week we discuss one of the most important revolutionary films ever produced, "The Battle of Algiers." Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo and staring Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef, Brahim Hadjadj and Tommaso Neri, the film was released in 1966 and portrays the actions undertaken by rebels during the Algerian War against the French occupation of Algeria.
Released only four years after the Algerian War and the successful revolution and independence of Algeria from the French, and less than a decade after the events of the film itself, "The Battle of Algiers" was shot on location and is cast almost entirely with members of the Algerian community who were participants in the revolution or lived through it. We discuss the impact the film had on society at large, the way in which it starkly portrays the violence of revolution while perfectly capturing the inherent humanity of those of us who want to bring about a better future for all even though we must use the tools of violence to do so.
To discuss the film we are joined by Aaron, a good friend of one of our hosts, an activist, an organizer, and a man with more to say about this film than we could ever fit into a single episode.
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