4. The Battle Of Algiers
Rizzoli Rialto PicturesThe struggle against colonialism has waged for many years, but few attempts have been made to get deep under the skin of the many revolutionaries fighting against it. The Battle of Algiers - Gillo Pontecorvo's 1966 film about the Algerian War - is one which does so with remarkable maturity. Told largely in flashbacks, it recounts the path of a man by the name of Ali into the Algerian Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN), where he eventually became the leader of the fight against the French colonialists. Pontecorvo recreates the events with a meticulous attention to detail that gives the film the feel of a documentary - not surprisingly, he fell foul of the French authorities at the time of its release. And yet the film never feels heavy handed, with Pontecorvo allowing the imagery to speak for itself.