Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Battle of Algiers
1966
****
Director: Gillo Pontecorvo
Cast: Brahim Hadjadj, Jean Martin, Yacef Saadi, Samia Kerbash, Ugo Paletti, Fusia El Kader

A gritty and hard-hitting political drama about the Algerian Civil War, and more specifically about the Battle of Algiers in 1957 when the Algerian revolutionaries attempted to overthrow the French. This influential film caused an uproar upon its release, but due to its brutal autheticity, it remains poignant today. The Algerians are mostly played by amateur actors.