esrosedotblog

LIBERATION

Today's film was the epic

Hors la loi / Outside the Law (2010)

an Algerian production directed by Rachid Bouchareb, this film was a foreign language Oscar nominee.

The liberation of Algeria from French colonial control.

I remember this period very well. I was deeply touched by what was going on over the years. I remember fantasizing about being there and in it. I had a history teacher who made us get into this kind of thing and write papers, have a point of view and so on.

The period is viewed from the perspective of three brothers whose family loses its land in Algeria to the colonialists. The first big scenes are the massacre at Serif and, the film ends with the liberation.

The three brothers are engaged in diffent ways but all end up in the FLN which was the underground organization and, some would say, terrorists working to scare France out of holding on to their country.

They are fought by the rival MNA who lose and then France's own state sponsored terror organization, the Red Hand who took on the rough stuff on behalf of the French.

It is an ugly messy business and a story well told.

This is a big movie with a huge story and it is for sure biased for the Algerians. You will see why.

It is longish which I suppose is necessary to squeeze the story in.

I watched a little of the "making of" and realize that many of the huge scenes are on a studio lot in built sets. There are hundreds of extras. The battle scenes are breathtaking.

I liked it a lot and would not mind seeing it again.

I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5 and probably, some day, see it again with this directors other well known and highly praised film, Days of Glory.

Labels: films