MovieChat Forums > La battaglia di Algeri (1967) Discussion > Any other political films about African ...

Any other political films about African colonies / post-colonial Africa?


looking for similar films.
thanks.

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[deleted]

Jean Rouch's "Les Maitres Fous"

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"Chronicles of the Years Ember" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072782/

This movie examines the lead up to the Algerian uprising from a rural perspective. Made while the Algerian film industry was still under state control to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the Algerian uprising.

"Living in Paradise" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177341/

Examines the discrimination Algerian immigrants faced in France. Also, shows the increasing frustration, organization, and militant nature of the immigrants to accompany the Algerian uprising.

"Days of Glory" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0444182/

A recent film that looks at the role of Algerian soldiers serving in the French army during the Second World War.

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Laurent Herbiet's Mon Colonel. On the writer seat Costa-Gavras.

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I was really impressed with Raoul Peck's documentary "Lumumba: la mort du prophete".

Most African cinema I've seen deals strongly with political issues. To me it appears that for a lot of African film makers, cinema is a forum for discussion of political and social issues.

Someone already mentioned Xala, but all of Ousmane Sembene's films are politically driven. The lesser known Djibril Diop Mambety has created a couple of my favorite full length features (Hyenas and Touki Bouki).

I've seen a couple Nolleywood movies that deal with social issues. Although cinematically, I thought the films were low-quality crap.

Mapantsula was a pretty good film that dealt with apartheid in the 80s.

I strongly recommend watching African films - they are completely different than what most film goers are used to.

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Catch a Fire (2006) about apartheid South Africa

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I second the poster who suggested Breaker Morant about the Boer War - it works a little like a mash-up of Paths Of Glory and Gallipoli, but ends up being even better than either one of those two. A mature, morally complex film that´s both sober and poetic and almost as awesome as The Battle Of Algiers.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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I don't think anyone's recommended The Wind and the Lion, one of my all-time favorites. It's primarily an adventure film (and not remotely accurate) but has some pointed things to say about the Middle East and Western foreign policy.

For an odd counterpoint to Algiers, you can always track down Lost Command, a Hollywood depiction of the war from a French perspective. It's a loose adaptation of Jean Larteguy's The Centurions, a very good novel about the conflict, though the movie gets bogged down in cliche at times.

"My child is God to billions of Asians!"

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