Keswick Film Festival

Synopsis

Forty years on, Gillo Pontecorvo's classic The Battle of Algiers remains as relevant as ever. So relevant, in fact, that Pentagon officials consulted it for tips on dealing with the Iraq situation. A riveting reconstruction of the struggle for independence in mid-50s Algiers, its pseudo-documentary style still feels as headline-fresh as its content, in which we confront the ugly realities of both French Foreign Legion and Algerian guerrillas. The combination of realistic production values with the bracing use of authentic locations and Ennio Morricone's punchy score gives this film a deserved place in the world cinema canon.