The Battle of Algiers is a 1966 Italian-Algerian war film by Gillo Pontecorvo. It depicts the fight of rebels against the French government in Algeria’s capital during the Algerian War that took place between 1954-1962. It was shot in the city and features a newsreel look in black and white with documentary-style editing to heighten historical authenticity and using non-professional actors.
The film shows cruelties commited by both the FLN guerillas and the French paratroopers and tries to depict the historical events in an objective manner. The soundtrack was composed by then not yet famous Ennio Morricone and features a piece that Tarantino used in his 2009 film Inglorious Basterds. Because of a strong division in the French society about the Algerian War the film was banned there for five years with the director receiving death threats. The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
A great early example of political and historical filmmaking by using documentary film aesthetics.
