The Battle of Algiers

The winner of the Golden Lion at Venice and nominated for three Oscars, this stark and compelling drama about the rise of the Front de Libération Nationale in Algeria was banned by a French government still smarting from the recent loss of that country. Yet, one of the strengths of Gillo Pontecorvo's cinéma-vérité approach is its refusal to condemn or condone: French and Algerian rhetoric is given an equal airing. Scenes of destructive military aggression are counterbalanced by savage acts of terrorism. Even French colonel Jean Martin and FLN activist Yacef Saadi are each depicted as honorable individuals caught in the great tide of history. Depressingly, this compassionate masterpiece of political analysis still has much contemporary resonance. But it also has a vigour, a commitment and an intelligence that is absent from too much modern cinema.