Red Emma’s

Gillo Pontecorvo's seminal film THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1966) is a towering achievement in politically-charged cinema. Spanning 121 riveting minutes, this fictional dramatization of Algeria's successful bid for independence from French colonial rule in the late 1950s shattered conventions. Filmed on location in the titular city, THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS eschewed studio sets in favor of stark neorealist photography and a newsreel aesthetic. The result is an unflinching portrait of asymmetric urban warfare between resistance fighters and occupying French forces. Pontecorvo's detached camera unspools scenes of guerrilla attacks, bombings, and state torture with an absolute frankness that shocked audiences and censor boards alike.

Initially banned in France for its anti-colonial stance, THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS has endured as a complex masterpiece that illuminates the realities of revolutionary struggle. The film's depiction of brutal French counter-insurgency tactics presaged later interest in asymmetric warfare. Now, over fifty years since its release, Pontecorvo's touchstone film continues to spur discussion about state power, anti-colonialism, and the ethics of political violence.

Following the screening, Dr. Sara Rahnama and Arya Zahedi will lead an incisive discussion exploring the film's layered depictions of Algerian history, its modern-day relevance to ongoing freedom movements, and more. MASKS REQUIRED.

Dr. Sara Rahnama is an Assistant Professor of History and Director of the Program for the Study of the Middle East & North Africa at Morgan State University. She is the author of THE FUTURE IS FEMINIST: WOMEN AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN INTERWAR ALGERIA (Cornell University Press), which examines how commentators saw women’s advancement as key to a prosperous and modern future for Algeria. Her writing has appeared in both academic and popular spaces, including Gender & History and The Washington Post. She was formerly a fellow at the Library of Congress’s Kluge Center.

Arya Zahedi is a lecturer for the Master of Liberal Arts program at Johns Hopkins University and adjunct faculty teaching Humanistic Studies at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He is a PhD candidate in politics at the New School for Social Research, with a concentration in political theory and comparative politics. His research interests include social movements, revolutions, capitalism and class struggle, imperialism, democracy, ideology, and the politics of the modern Middle East.