DLCL Film Series: Rebel With a Cause screening: The Battle of Algiers (1966) Gillo Pontecorvo

Based on events during the Algerian War, Pontecorvo’s poignant film documents the violence and atrocity of guerilla warfare that erupted between colonial powers and local insurgents in Casbah, the Algerian capital, between 1954 and 1957. Pontecorvo’s creative camerawork and attempt to fairly represent the violence on both sides produced controversy upon the film’s release and have allowed it to become one of the most canonized films on resistance.
 
Discussion will focus on analyzing the structures, actors, and acts of resistance, rebellion, and revolt in international film. In particular we will look at who resists and why; how a rebel’s identity and social position affects his or her political engagement; and how different forms of resistance can create movements that evolve from grassroots, across governments, and around the globe. In our study of representations of resistance across different schools and cultures of cinema, film technologies, and cinematic history, we will also address the ways that film creates suspense and intrigue, represents cause and effect, and prompts questions of ethics.
 
These screenings are part of the DLCL Film Series DLCL 152A/354A, which undergraduates and undergraduates can take for one unit C/NC. All screenings are free and open to the public and audience members are encouraged to participate in the discussions following the films. Please be aware that some films may include graphic or disturbing content: viewers are therefore advised to familiarize themselves with the films' content before viewing. May be repeated for credit.