Chosen by Collective member Matt, The Battle of Algiers (1966) was directed by Gillo Pontecorvo and is considered a classic of Italian Neo-realist cinema. A narrative film shot in a documentary style about the struggle of Algerian independence, The Battle of Algiers follows members of the FLN as they wage acts of war and terror against the French colonizers. Matt calls attention to independence movements around the world and urges us to consider that in situations of oppression, it is not enough to condemn all violence, but to condemn the oppressor. Jeanne questions if a nation's independence, necessarily equals the liberation of all of its people; pointing to the current suppression of women's rights in Algeria. David points out the many ways in which the film boldly defies the traditional narrative structure: refusing to follow action hero tropes, and refusing to build an extensive backstory for its characters; that sometimes portraying people in a life or death struggle with the use of great cinematography can be enough to invest an audience in a film.
The Criterion Collective
Join poets and film lovers, Jeanne Marie Spicuzza (Night Rain), Matt Sedillo (Mowing Leaves of Grass), and David A. Romero (My Name Is Romero) as they meet each week, to form The Criterion Collective, discussing some of their favorite classic/foreign/art films. These are the films they connect with most deeply, the films that move and inspire them. They hope to inspire a new generation of cinephiles and cinéastes!
The Criterion Collective is a special production by the dA Center for the Arts in Pomona, CA. https://www.dacenter.org/
Intro and outro music, "Exploring the Inferno," by Myuu. https://www.thedarkpiano.com/
