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
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!
Algiers, 1954
The European city
The Kasbah
National Liberation Front (FLN),
Communiqu 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
50 francs
Your turn, Madame
This one wins, this one loses
There he is!
He's in a rush
- Stop him
Illiterate
Occupation; general labourer,
boxer. Presently unemployed
Previous record as follows...
1942. Algiers Juvenile Court; one
year's reformatory for vandalism
1944. Orane Juvenile Court;
two years for public disorder
1949. Algiers Assizes;
sentenced to eight months'prison...
... for resisting arrest
God is mighty!
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
Come here
Can you read? Read it
"There's a Moorish caf 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 caf you'll
see a girl...
"...and a policeman nearby
"At the right moment she'll give
you...
"...a gun...
"...and you shoot him"
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
National Liberation Front
Communiqu No.24
People of Algeria, the Colonial
Administration...
... is responsible not only for
the misery of our people...
... but also for the vices of
many of our brothers and sisters
Vices which make them lose all
dignity
The FLN has decided to wipe
out this scourge
It calls on the people to help in
this struggle...
... as it is a prerequisite to
gaining independence
From today the FLN assumes
responsibility...
... for the physical and moral
health of the Algerian people
The FLN has decided...
... to prohibit the sale and use
of all drugs and alcoholic drink
Prostitution and pimping are
forbidden
Offenders will be punished
Those who persist will be put to
death
You know drugs are forbidden
Why?
- Just do without
Have you seen Hassan el Bridi?
Seen Hassan el Bridi?
Have you seen Hassan?
- No
If you see Hassan tell him I'm
looking for him
Ali, what's the matter?
Is Hassan here?
- No, he left very early. Why?
If you see him tell him I need him
Ali, hello!
Stand still! Don't move your hands
I never carry weapons
- I know
Are you afraid of these?
Don't move
Why are you afraid?
We've always been friends. I almost
brought you up
That's true
What's happened to you?
- You're condemned to death
So that's what it's come to
I could die of laughter
How much do they pay you?
Nothing. They've warned you twice.
This is the last time. Decide
What? What must I decide?
To work for the FLN
Try and convince me
Stop! Take a good look. No one does
as he likes in the Kasbah any more
Not even Hassan, still less you
scum
Now get out
And spread the word
10th June 1956
Stay outside and keep watch
Is everything all right?
- Fine
Sit down
Let's hurry up with the formalities,
you know why
One day, weddings will be
celebrated in the open again
It is very sad that a day like
this...
... should not be celebrated
traditionally
But being the first to desert
the offices of the French...
To be married by the FLN...
... takes courage. It is a
conscious gesture
An act of war
And now, Mahmoud and Fathia come
forward
Sign here
Congratulations
Best wishes, very best wishes
Make yourselves comfortable
20th June 1956. 10.32 a.m.
Come over here
Keep calm
Come this way
Listen
They want to talk to the Inspector
Yes, sir, but they didn't get the
search warrant
They followed them but then lost
them
Of course, sir, but that depends on
the Commissioner
Democratic methods. We do have
some suspects
They favour a formal enquiry
Yes, sir...
I don't have enough men
I understand
But if you could...
The Prefect can't
But couldn't you? As you wish
Well, they'll slaughter the lot of us
Right...
soldiers wounded
Location: Rue Luciani
Location: Intersection of main road
and Avenue Laquiere
In Paris, the solution is to increase
police numbers...
...and close off streets. I don't
agree with it
Right, Corbiere, where were we?
Intersection of main road and
Avenue Laquiere
The Governor of Algiers decrees;
Article 1...
Purchase of medicines suitable
for treating gun wounds...
be authorised by the
Prefecture
Article 2; Hospitals and nursing
homes...
... must inform the police...
... about all patients admitted
for treatment
The Algiers Prefecture
communicates...
... that recently there have been
dozens of outrages in the city
The culprits are presumed to
be Moslem...
... able to find refuge quickly
and easily in the Arab quarters
To restore order forthwith, the
Prefect has decided to seal off...
... the Kasbah
Checkpoints will be set up
And citizens will have to show
their papers
It's nothing we need worry about
Returning to the Kasbah?
- No, two days' leave
Never touch their women
20th July 1956, 11.20 a.m.
What do you want?
I'm going swimming
You're still here?
- It's that way
Come here
Now, get out
Always the same!
- It's the government's fault
t does it care?
There he is!
It's him!
Where?
- Down there
Get hold of him
Murderer! Murderer!
You dirty rat!
Where are you going?
The rat!
- Don't let him get away
He's escaping! Grab him
I saw him!
Stop him!
He's running away!
Culprit: Laknan Abdullah
Labourer, married with 3 children,
living at 8 Rue de Thebes
How many today? - Seven incidents,
three dead
Tell me...
Where's Rue de Thebes?
Off the Kasbah, I believe
Goodnight, mamma
- Goodnight, children
Fatma, why aren't they in bed?
They're just going
- Goodnight
We must go now
- Oh, there's still time
Can't you play here?
- Must you really go?
Have another drink
- All right, one more
No, I'm sorry, we're late
Goodnight all. Hurry up
Goodbye, Lucien. Don't keep Henri
up too late
In the back
Is it much further?
- No
Can we go in
- You're too late
The curfew's in force
Let him in. He's with me
Yes, sir, you may go through
- Let's go
It's all set?
- Yes, hurry up
Murderers! Murderers!
Ali! Ali, stop!
Jaffer says you must stop
He's trying to stop the people
Get out
They'll kill us!
Halt!
Stay calm. Go back home or they'll
kill us all
Leave it to the FLN. We'll avenge
you
You stand guard. You come in
OK, like this?
- Perfect
Fine
No good? Listen
I'll take my child. It'll work
OK, but go by the Divan checkpoint
It's busier and they're not so
careful
The Air France offices
The cafeteria in Rue Michelot
The milk bar in Rue d'Isly
They're short-fuse bombs...
...so they'll be set outside the
Kasbah. At 3, Rue del Porto
But then you must hurry. You'll only
have 25 minutes
Now goodbye. And good luck
Good luck
Fathia, God be with you
Your papers
- I've forgotten them
Over there. Move!
- They're at home
I must go to work
Get back!
- Please, I'm late
I said wait!
Move back or no one'll go through
Let me through
- Wait there
It's not fair
- Just wait
Excuse me. Excuse me, sir
May I pass?
- Of course
Hello! Oh, it's all right
Hands up
Go through, Madame
Go on
I'll be an hour. He's a good boy
Thank you
Going to the sea, Miss?
- How did you know?
I guessed
Like some company?
- Not today. I've friends waiting
What a pity!
Maybe another time?
Maybe
Good luck
Good luck
Cola, please
Would you like to sit down?
- Thank you
Here you are
Leaving already? What a shame
Attention please. Flight 432 to
Paris...
...will be delayed for 20 minutes
Would you like another Martini?
It's nothing, just a gas bottle
The Paras!
10th June 1957
Jean Soreau, Inspector General...
... of the Administration...
... has presided over a special
meeting...
... to combat terrorism in Algiers
lmportant decisions were taken
to maintain law and order...
...and to protect people and
property
It was decided that General
Carelle...
... commanding the 10th
Paratroop Division...
... will assume responsibility for
law and order...
... using all civil and military
measures...
... as well as special powers
allocated to them
Mathieu Philippe. Born 5th
August 1907 in Bordeaux
Rank; Lieutenant-Colonel
Campaigns; Italy and Normandy
Member of the French
Resistance
Served in Madagascar, Suez,
Indo-China and Algeria
On average lately, there have been
The problem, as usual, is: One, the
enemy...
Two, how to destroy him
There are 400,000 Arabs in Algiers
Are they all our enemies? We know
they're not
There's only a minority which rules
by terror and violence
This is the enemy we have to
isolate and destroy
A dangerous enemy moving both...
...on the surface and below...
...using well-tried revolutionary
tactics and original techniques
It's an unknown, unrecognisable
enemy...
...which blends in with the people
It is everywhere. In the cafs, the
Kasbah...
In the European quarter, in shops
and workshops
These films were taken by the
police...
...with cameras hidden at the
checkpoints
They thought they might come in
useful, and indeed they do
To show the uselessness of certain
methods!
Or at least their shortcomings
I've chosen pictures taken shortly
before...
Amongst all these Arab men and
women...
...are those responsible
But which ones?
How to recognize them?
Checking papers is ridiculous
If anyone's is in order...
...it's the terrorist's
Watch the soldier. He's sure that
basket contains something important.
And he examines the contents very
thoroughly!
Maybe the bomb was here, in a
false bottom.
We'll never know.
That's enough, Martin.
We have to start from zero.
We know something of the
organization's structure.
Let's start from there. It's a
pyramid organization...
...composed of various sections
which, in turn...
...are made up of a series of
triangles.
At the apex is the Chief of Staff
responsible to the political bureau.
He nominates someone to be
responsible for one sector: No. 1.
No. 1 selects another two: Nos. 2
and 3.
And so Triangle 1 is formed.
Nos. 2 and 3 each select two men
Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Because of this structure, each
member of the organization...
...knows only three other members.
The one who chose him...
...and the two he chose.
Contact is only in writing.
That's why we don't know our
enemy.
Because, in fact, they don't know
each other.
If we know him, we can eliminate
him.
The military angle is secondary.
It's the 'police' side that matters.
I know you dislike that word.
But it's the only one which sums up
our task.
We must try to reconstruct...
...the pyramid and identify the
Chief.
The basis of our job is information.
The method, interrogation.
Conducted in such a way as to
ensure we always get an answer.
In this situation, false sentiment
leads only to ridicule...
...and impotence.
I'm sure all units understand and
will act accordingly.
Unfortunately...
...it doesn't depend just on us. We
must have the town at our disposal.
To sift through it...
...and to question everyone.
But we're up against a mass of
laws and regulations being enforced...
...as though Algiers was a holiday
resort, not a battlefield.
We've asked for carte blanche, but
it's difficult to get.
We need an incident which will
legalize our actions...
...and make them feasible.
We ourselves must create this
opening...
...so our adversaries don't do it for
us, as I believe they might.
To all freedom fighters.
After two years...
...of bitter struggle...
...the Algerian people are
victorious.
On Monday 28th January...
...the United Nations will debate
the Algerian question.
The Organization will mobilize...
...to explain the importance of
this to the people.
For eight days from Monday the
FLN proclaims a general strike.
There will be no armed action
or incidents.
'Le Monde'! Eight-day strike!
My money, please.
Strike!
Brothers, Algerians...
Having tried all methods to
avoid a UN debate on Algeria...
...the colonialists insist that
the FLN represents only a minority.
World opinion is behind us.
Let us show we are united.
Support the strike proclaimed
by the FLN.
For these eight days, do not
enter the European quarter.
Stay In the Kasbah. Don't
gather in closed places...
...thus facilitating round-ups.
Shelter the poor and homeless
in your houses.
Stock up with food and water.
They seem calm.
- Yes, but they're restless.
Like rats in a trap... we hope.
Do you think the strike will be.
Certainly.
All going well?
- I hope so.
What will you call the operation?
Well, General...
Operation Champagne.
- Operation Champagne, why not?
Fine.
They're beggars, unemployed,
homeless.
They'll stay here during the strike
safe from police sweeps.
But I don't think they ought to have
been brought here.
It's a mistake.
- Why?
Because you're here. We'd better
change the place.
Don't you trust them?
- You never know.
All right, you decide.
No. If I made the decisions you
wouldn't be in Algiers now.
Why?
- It's not prudent.
Ali, go with Ben M'Hidi to the Maison
des Arbres.
Isn't he sleeping here?
- No. Too many new faces around.
Another one ready.
Look at this for a hideout. Seems
like a wall.
Look inside.
- No, you must go. It's late.
They're old fighters. You'll be safe.
Hurry, Ali.
The terrace is the shortest way.
All right, you can come.
Fine. They're waiting.
- What's your view on the strike? -
It'll succeed.
I think so too. It has been well
organized.
But the French?
Obviously, they'll try everything to
break it.
They'll do more than that.
We've given them the chance.
Understand what I mean?
Now they'll no longer grope in the
dark.
Every striker...
...will be a recognizable enemy...
...a confessed criminal. And they
will go over onto the offensive.
Have you thought of that?
- No.
Jaffer says you weren't in favour
of the strike.
No, neither were my men.
- Why not?
Because they say we mustn't use
arms.
You don't win wars with outrages.
Neither wars nor revolutions.
Terrorism serves to begin with.
But later, the people themselves
must move.
That's the reason behind the need
to strike.
To mobilize all Algerians, to count
them.
To assess our strength.
To show the UN?
Yes, the UN too.
It might not be much use...
...but at least the UN will be able to
see our strength.
You know, Ali...
...it's hard to start a revolution.
Even harder to continue it.
And hardest of all to win it.
But it's only afterwards, when we
have won...
...that the true difficulties begin.
In short, there's still much to do.
You are not already tired, Ali?
- No.
Wake up!
Attention all vehicles!
Speed up the sweep. Truck No.
No. 3: the port.
Attention...
All suspects to be sent to HQ.
That one.
You, come here. Wait there.
On strike, eh?
- I'm not well.
You're too scared to say, but
you're with the FLN, aren't you?
What do you take me for?
The FLN wants you to strike and
you won't speak?
Please yourself. This one to HQ too,
Grard.
You, come here.
- Are you deaf?
Move! At the double!
Get a move on!
It's now the fourth day, and the
general strike continues.
The town is paralyzed, but there
have been no serious incidents.
Calm reigns in the Arab quarter.
I'll call you back.
Mathieu's here.
Colonel...
- I'm meeting the Prefect.
What's going on?
- I'm just assessing the situation.
Go and look for yourselves. I've put
all means at your disposal.
The strike seems successful?
It has missed its main aim -
insurrection.
That wasn't its aim.
- You believe the FLN?
Maybe. A general strike is
convincing at the UN.
The UN is far away. How can it
judge a strike's importance?
Bombs get heard. I'd do like them.
What exactly is armed
insurrection?
It's an inevitable stage in
revolutionary war.
After terrorism, armed
insurrection follows.
Just as guerrilla tactics...
...precede war proper.
Dien Bien Phu?
Exactly. But in Indo-China they won.
And here?
- It depends on you.
On us? You want us to enlist?
God forbid! Just write... and write
well.
It's not soldiers we lack.
- Then what?
Political will, which is sometimes
present, sometimes not.
But sometimes is not enough.
What's Paris saying?
Just another article by Sartre.
Why are the Sartres always on the
other side?
You don't like Sartre?
No, but I'd like him even less as an
enemy.
One, two, three, four... follow me.
Come on, hurry up!
What's going on?
- They're singing.
OK. Let's have it. From the start,
then you can go.
Name?
- Smain.
First name?
- Ahmed.
District?
- Second.
Be more precise.
- No. 2, the Kasbah, Algiers West.
Which group?
- Third group.
What was your job?
- Responsible for the Sixth Squad.
That'll do.
Day six of the strike.
People of the Kasbah...
The FLN prevents you from
working.
The FLN makes you shut your
shops.
The FLN wants to starve you
and condemn you to misery.
The FLN prevents you from
working.
People of the Kasbah...
...France is your motherland.
Muhammed? Muhammed? Have you
seen him?
The FLN wants to starve you
and condemn you to misery.
People of the Kasbah,
rebel against the FLN.
Courage! God be with you.
Courage!
Algerians! Brothers!
Take courage!
Algeria will be free!
Brothers, resist. Don't listen...
...to what they say.
Algeria will be free!
5th February. Last day of the
strike.
Open the shop.
Pull!
Faster!
The UN General Assembly...
...after falling to obtain a
majority...
...on any motion put forward...
...has decided there will be...
...no direct Intervention in
Algeria.
The UN, however, hopes that in
a spirit of cooperation...
...a peaceful and just solution
will be found...
...in keeping with UN Charter
principles.
Good. Well done.
Now we can go to bed.
The end of the strike changes
nothing.
Keep the boys on duty.
We must stay in the Kasbah 24
hours a day.
Our work must continue with no let-
up.
Any of you had a tapeworm?
It's a worm that grows to infinity.
You can kill thousands of its
segments...
...but if the head remains, it
immediately reproduces.
The FLN's the same.
The head is the General Staff:
several people.
If they are not eliminated, we'll be
back to zero. Here are four of them.
I found these in the police files.
I had them enlarged.
Ramel.
Si Mourad.
Jaffer.
Ali la Pointe.
We must print a thousand copies
and distribute them to our boys.
Who else lives here?
I told you. My daughter upstairs,
and my husband who's at work.
OK, Pierre. Let's go.
-All right.
You can come out.
There were a lot - ten this time.
Paratroopers?
Did they come here on purpose?
No, by chance. They only asked
questions.
Jibel Amalika has been arrested.
Sheikh Abdullah has been
arrested.
People of the Kasbah, the FLN
has lost the battle.
Rebel against this dying regime.
Work with us to bulid a new
Algeria.
Moujid Ben Ali has been arrested.
What's wrong?
- Nothing.
Take courage.
We'll split up. That will improve our
chances.
We must keep changing hideouts.
We must replace those arrested...
...and get reorganized.
And make ourselves felt...
As soon as possible.
Now. Leave it to me.
No. None of us.
As long as we exist, the FLN exists.
If we're caught there'll be nothing.
From nothing you get nothing.
Do something.
When we've made new contacts.
How do we move?
- We'll change methods.
I'm getting out in three months.
Hey, look.
- Halt!
Quick, hide us! We're being followed.
Where? The house is so small.
In the well. God protect you.
Come. The well, it's nearly dry.
- Good.
They didn't stop. They've gone and
the others are far away.
Thanks.
We'll contact the 2nd and 5th
sectors.
The 1st and 6th have had too many
losses.
The 3rd and 4th are reorganizing.
It's enough to start with.
25th February, 1957
You bastard! You'll pay for the
others!
Keep calm! Get back!
4th March, 1957
Enough photographs.
Mr. Ben M'Hidi...
Isn't it vile to use women's
baskets...
...to carry bombs to attack
innocent victims?
Isn't it even more vile to drop
napalm bombs...
...on defenceless villages, killing
thousands more victims?
It would be easier for us if we had
planes.
Give me the bombers...
...and you can have the baskets.
Mr. Williams wants to know...
It has more chance than they
have...
...of changing the course of history.
Colonel Mathieu has said that you
were arrested by chance.
By mistake.
The paratroopers...
...were looking for someone less
important than you.
Could you say why you were in that
flat...
...in Rue Debussy?
I can only say I wish I hadn't been.
Enough, gentlemen. It's late and
we've work to do.
Show over?
Correct.
Before it backfires.
Closed for having taken part in
the strike.
People of the Kasbah, the
rebellion is petering out.
Ali Mohammed of FLN Sector 2
was killed this morning.
People of Algiers...
Denounce the agitators.
Abandon them.
Count on the protection of the
French Army.
Colonel Mathieu...
The spokesman of the Resident
Minister, M. Gorlin...
...states that Ben M'Hidi...
...hanged himself in his cell...
...by tearing up his shirt and making
it into a rope...
...which he tied to the bars of his
window.
Given his stated intention to
escape at the first opportunity...
...it was thought necessary...
...to keep the prisoner bound...
...hand and foot at all times.
In your opinion, Colonel...
Is a man in this condition...
...capable of tearing his shirt,
making it into a rope...
...and hanging himself with it?
Ask the spokesman about that.
I didn't make the statements.
For my part, I appreciated Ben
M'Hidi's moral strength...
...his courage and commitment to
his own ideals.
And so, notwithstanding the great
danger he represented...
...I pay homage to his memory.
Colonel Mathieu...
There's been much talk, not only of
the paras' successes...
...but of the methods they're said
to use. Can you say something on this?
I feel that in being excessively
careful...
...my colleagues keep asking
indirect questions...
...to which you can only reply
indirectly.
It would be better to call...
...a spade a spade. If it's torture,
let's say so.
I understand. And you? You've no
questions?
No, I would merely like some more
precise answers.
Let us try to be exact. 'Torture'
doesn't appear in our orders.
We use interrogation...
...as the only valid police method
against a clandestine organization.
The FLN asks its members...
...to keep silent for 24 hours if
they are captured.
Then they can talk.
In that time, the FLN can render
any information useless.
And us? How should we question
suspects?
Like the courts, taking a few
months over it?
Legality can be inconvenient.
Is it legal to blow up public places?
Remember what Ben M'Hidi said
when you asked him that.
Believe me, gentlemen, it's a
vicious circle.
We could talk for hours to no avail
because that is not the problem.
The problem is...
...the FLN want us out of Algeria
and we want to stay.
There are different shades of
opinion...
...buy I think you all agree we should
stay.
When the rebellion began there
were no shades of opinion.
All the papers, even the leftist
ones, wanted it crushed.
That's why we were sent here.
And we are neither mad nor sadists.
Those who call us "fascists"...
...forget what many of us did in the
Resistance.
They call us "Nazis"...
...but some of us are survivors of
Dachau and Buchenwald.
We are soldiers. Our duty is to win.
Thus, to be quite clear...
...I'll ask you a question myself.
Must France stay in Algeria?
If the answer's still "yes"...
...then you must accept what that
entails.
He's a doctor. Stabbed!
- It's horrible!.
Blast! No more ammo!
Look there!
Crush them!
26th August 1957
The Colonel's here.
Don't play the hero. It's futile. Pass
me the megaphone.
Ramel! Si Mourad!
Listen.
I wouldn't like to be in your shoes
when we get you.
You know we'll get you.
Give yourselves up and you won't be
touched. You'll have a fair trial.
Do you hear?
- Who's speaking?
Mathieu. Colonel Mathieu.
We don't trust you.
Come closer.
Show yourself.
Why don't you trust us?
Stand, so that we can see you.
With your hands still and in full view.
OK. But we want the promise about
the trial in writing.
Give us a written promise. Then
we'll surrender.
How?
We'll lower our weapons in a basket.
Fair enough.
Here?
Yes, just there.
Ready, Mathieu?
- Yes, but first let's see you.
We can see them now.
Here. You know that when I promise
I keep my word.
The pig's tricked us!
Get a move on!
We'll get a move on all right!
Burn all the papers.
24th September 1957
You never know.
Who's Zakia?
You?
- Yes.
Go up and tell Jaffer to surrender...
...or I'll blow up the house.
Convince him if you value your
house.
Understood?
- Yes.
Wait, or he'll kill you.
Jaffer! Zakia's coming up! Don't
shoot.
Go now.
Jaffer, I'm Zakia.
Listen to me. They say if you don't
come down...
...they'll blow up the house.
Tell the Colonel he can blow up what
he likes.
Go, I said!
He won't surrender. He says: go
ahead.
OK. Join the others.
Prepare the plastic. As near as
possible.
Use a long fuse. We'll cut it later.
Give them continuous cover while
they work.
You, keep your eyes open. Anything
can happen, as we know.
It's quite pointless to die like this.
Mathieu! If you give me your word
not to touch anyone in this house...
...we'll come down.
I'd have hated to blow it up.
Why?
Your picture and your file...
...have been on my table for ages.
I feel I know you quite well.
You don't seem the type for empty
gestures.
You seem happy to have me alive.
Yes, I am.
Evidently I've given you an
unexpected advantage.
No, only the satisfaction of having
guessed right.
Technically...
...there is no longer an advantage.
It's over.
What's she saying?
She says there's still Ali la Pointe.
I'm coming.
I'll be right back.
Go to bed, Omar.
Tomorrow there'll be just us.
Mahmoud... Hassiba...
...me and you.
No one else is left. Sadek will drive.
Get out, place the bomb...
...and return quickly.
Mind they don't follow you. Then
we'll get out.
Hassiba, followed by Mahmoud and
then me.
Wake up.
You'll see some fireworks today.
Nearly time, isn't it?
- Yes.
Hassiba!
- I'm ready.
I heard a truck.
So did I. But if it was Sadek he'd be
here now.
How's your wife?
- The same.
Inside! Inside!
Outside, you! Get up!
Well?
- All ready. I've evacuated the house.
Has he replied?
- Nothing. Absolute silence.
I thought as much.
Ali la Pointe!
At least get the others out. You
know we'll blow you up.
The boy will only go to the
reformatory.
Why let him die?
He's still here? Get him out.
Ali, I'll give you thirty seconds.
What do you hope for?
Anyway, you've already lost.
Think hard. Thirty seconds from
now.
Who wants to go out?
What will you do?
- I won't bargain.
You four stay here and go down
when I signal.
Well?
- All ready, General.
Get back.
You two cover him and take care.
Now the tapeworm's headless.
Satisfied, Mathieu?
- Yes, sir.
The FLN in Algiers is decapitated.
- I think we'll hear no more of it.
At least for the time being.
- For ever, we hope.
After all, they're good people. We
got on well for 130 years.
Why couldn't it continue?
- Algeria is not just Algiers.
No, Algiers isn't all of Algeria.
That's true, but for now let's be
content with Algiers.
Things are much easier in the
mountains.
Goodbye, General.
Goodbye, Mathieu. We'll see you at
HQ this afternoon.
Yes, sir.
11th December 1960
It is not known why, nor the
pretext for it...
...but after two years of
relative quiet...
...with the war just continuing...
...mostly in the mountains, trouble
has broken out again.
Nobody knows why or how.
I've phoned Tunis.
I spoke personally with the FLN
in exile, but they know nothing.
This morning for the first time...
...their green and white flags
have appeared.
Thousands of flags...
...probably sewn overnight.
It's hard to call them flags.
They're sheets, shirts, rags...
...but flags nevertheless.
It's very tense today.
Despite pressure...
...from extreme colonialists,
the government has given orders...
...not to use arms except as a
last resort.
Today attempts were made to
break into the European quarter.
There were many deaths, but
calm has now returned.
However, the Kasbah still echoes
with those strange cries.
Rhythmic, nightmarish.
The surprising unanimity of
these demonstrations...
...has had a marked effect on
French public opinion.
According to Paris, the more
sensitive political groups...
...are gravitating towards
better relations with Algeria.
21st December 1960. Last day
of demonstrations.
Listen to me!
Return to your homes!
What do you want?
Two more years of struggle
were still to pass.
Then, on 2nd July 1962
Independence was won...
...and the Algerian nation was
born.