Since its release The Battle of Algiers has been critically hailed as a masterpiece of world cinema and one of the greatest historical war films ever made.
Directed by Italian filmmaker Gillo Pontecorvo and hauntingly scored by maestro composer Ennio Morricone, the film recreates the Algerian struggle for independence from French occupation between 1954-62 and became highly notable for the way it depicted brutal acts on both sides of the conflict.
Amateur actors were used in the cast, including Algerian activists like Saadi Yacef, that added to the film’s heightened sense of realism. Even today, the film is used by military organisations such as the Pentagon to offer insights into guerrilla strategy and the effects of foreign occupation.
The Battle of Algiers won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, was nominated for three Academy Awards (Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Picture) and is now to be re-released in a new 4K restoration on UK Blu-ray.
The film has now been digitally re-mastered to preserve its grainy, newsreel look and was nominated for the Best Restored Version Award at the 2016 Venice Film Festival. The Battle of Algiers will be released on 4 December 2017 and is available in dual format, with both Blu-ray and DVD included. For more information visit: www.cultfilms.co.uk
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