Cinema
Our Algeria
Djazaïrouna
Djamel Chanderli · 1961
Synopsis
A compilation film that retraces the history of Algeria in struggle, using footage shot in the maquis and newsreels. It follows the political and military actions of the fighters, shows the demonstrations of December 1960 in Algerian cities and the attack on a French fortified base on the Algerian-Tunisian border, in order to set out the fighters' objectives to the world.
Context
The Ministry of Information of the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic commissioned it in 1959, to prepare the debate on the Algerian question at the United Nations, from Djamel Chanderli, Mohamed Lakhdar-Hamina and Dr Pierre Chaulet. The editing combines footage shot in the maquis by Chanderli with other footage shot by René Vautier for his own films. Completed afterwards with images from the end of 1960, it was sent directly to the United Nations and gave rise to a second film. The author counted for little at the time: the FLN's filmmakers shared the credit from one film to the next.
Who it is for
A short propaganda documentary, to be seen as an archival piece. It should be known that it was conceived for an international audience, not for cinemas.
Prizes and reception
One of the founding films of Algerian cinema, made within the film service of the provisional government during the war.