The Battle of Algiers (La battaglia di Algeri)

LION D'OR 17th International Festival of Venice 1966

1st Prize International Critic 1966

Prize of the City of Venice 1966

Couldn't you have talked sooner?

It would have been better for you

So, he's finally talked.

Give him some coffee

All right, don't worry.

Drink up, it'll do you good

Buck up now. Here

At ease

Is it true?

Probably. 3 Rue des Abderames

Dress him

Come on, it's all over now,

I assure you

Can you stand?

Let go of him

Here, put it on

It'll fit you well

They won't recognise you like this

in the Kasbah, understand?

Show us where La Pointe is hiding

and then you'll be free

Give him a cap

Nationalised!

Don't be a fool

Let's go

Shut up.

Do you want us to start again?

Come on now.

Pull yourself together

THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS

A film by Gillo Pontecorvo

Written by Franco Solinas

Cast

Set Designer

Editing by

Director of Photography

Production Manager

Music by

Produced by

Who wants to go out?

Ali la Pointe,

the house is surrounded.

It's useless

Surrender.

Let the boy and the woman come out first

Then your companion and yourself

Leave your weapons there

No tricks, you're beaten

We've got you covered.

You don't stand a chance. Understand?

Do you hear me, Ali?

Listen,

you're the last one.

There's nothing you can do

The organization's finished

Everyone's dead, or in prison

If you come out now, you'll have a proper trial.

Surrender, Ali!

Based on the book by Saadi Yacef "Souvenirs de la Bataille d'Alger"

ALGIERS, 1954

THE EUROPEAN CITY

THE KASBAH

National Liberation Front (FLN),

Communique No. 1

Citizens of Algeria,

our fight is against colonialism

The aim - independence and

restoration of the Algerian state. . .

. . .based on Muslim precepts and

respect for fundamental rights. . .

. . .regardless of race or religion

In order to avoid bloodshed,

we propose to the French. . .

. . .fair talks bringing recognition

of our right to self-government

Algerians, it is your duty

to restore your country's freedom

You will win

Unite, brothers!

The National Liberation Front calls you to arms

The King loses, the Queen wins. .. Place your bets

This one wins, this one loses. The King loses, the Queen wins.

Place your bets!Watch!

Watch! The King loses, the Queens wins.

Where's the King? Place your bets Madam.

This one wins, this one loses

The King loses, the Queen wins. .. Place your bets

There he is!

He's in a rush

Stop him

Get the rat! Kill him!

Stop it! Leave him alone!

Go back to the Kasbah!

Kill the rat!

Murderer!

Kill the rat!

Omar Ali, alias Ali la Pointe,

born Miliana, 15th January 1930

Illiterate

Occupation : general labourer,

boxer. Presently unemployed

Previous record as follows. . .

1942. Algiers Juvenile Court:

one year reformatory for vandalism

1944. Orane Juvenile Court:

two years for public disorder

1949. Algiers Assizes:

sentenced to eight months' prison. . .

. . .for resisting arrest. Habitual offender.

God is mighty!

Long live Algeria!

Long live Algeria! Long live Algeria!

Here he comes

Keep quiet

Five months later

Scram!

Men have two faces. . .

They sent you?

Yes, they sent me

Take it.

Come. Come here

- Can you read? - Sure

Read it.

There's a Moorish cafe

at 40, Rue Randon

Merabi, the owner,

is a police informer

Every day at five

a French policeman goes to see him

He stays a few minutes,

pretending to have a cup of coffee

Then he leaves.

You must kill the policeman.

Not Merabi?

No, the policeman

OK

You can't go wrong

Right next to the cafe

you'll see a girl with a basket. . .

. . .and a policeman nearby

At the right moment

she'll give you. . .

. .a gun. . .

. . .and you shoot him.

Don't move.

Right, I give the orders now

Look, brothers!

Look at this piece of dirt

You bitch! You set me up

Let's get away

Now explain!

See if they followed us

Who planned this? Take me to him

- He's waiting - Where?

I'll take you there if we don't get caught

Move. You go first, I'll follow

We had to be sure you weren't a spy

With an empty gun?

Let's suppose you were a spy

The FLN contact you in prison.

You pretend to be for the cause. . .

. . .and the French let you escape

Shooting at me?

It could be fixed. You escape, go

to the address given you in prison. . .

. . .and get to know me

What's your name?

Jaffer. Lahadi Jaffer

To join us you had to do a job

The barman is an Algerian

The cops would let you kill him. . .

. . .even though he's a "stool"

But this would prove your loyalty

That's why I chose the cop

The French wouldn't allow that

If you were one of them. . .

. . . you wouldn't have done it

I didn't

You couldn't, but you tried, that's the important thing

And nearly got caught

Come on. You're exaggerating.

Your orders were to shoot in the back

I didn't know

You don't understand

Explain. Why didn't you let me kill him?

Well, we're not ready yet

We need a safe place to go from

and to hide in

There's the Kasbah, but it's still not safe

Too many drunks, whores, junkies.

People who talk too much

Uncommitted people, ready to sell us out

We must convince them or eliminate them

We must think of ourselves first and clean out the Kasbah

Then we can think about the French.

Do you understand?

APRIL 1956