***** (Five stars)
This film is actually the third chapter in a documentary series by director Jean-Pierre Lledo recounting memories of Algeria's war of independence. Despite my marginal knowledge of Algerian history, I found the stories of these real-life characters to be both fascinating and agonizing. Lledo, who was present at the screening, explained that his goal with this film was to focus on nationalism and to investigate why so much violence was directed at civilians even after political independence had been established. Throughout the movie, it is evident that the storytellers who remain from that time are fiercely committed to expressing the painful truths of the country's past, even if this causes them distress. (The Algerian government has thus far banned any domestic screenings.) Anyone who has ever pondered the effects of colonialism would find much to learn in this straightforward doc. The gnarled complexity of this era's ongoing aftereffects truly boggles the mind, and Lledo should be commended for uncovering such vivid tales from this civil-war period.—Peter Chiu, subscriptions manager
[This is a TONY staff review, written for the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It is not considered an official review and should not be read as such. Please think of it as a casual impression from a movie-loving friend.]