Algérie en Flammes

On the threshold of the Algerian struggle for independence, Ren‚ Vautier produced a film about the French conquest of Algeria in 1830. Subsequently, he was severely criticised by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who considered the prediction that Algeria was on the eve of a battle against the colonial oppressor a danger for national security. As a reaction to this accusation, Vautier made alg‚rie en flammes, a reportage-like film about the Algerian resistance movement. Due to the commotion this film caused, Vautier was forced to go underground for twenty-five months. After the declaration of independence he established the first Algerian audio-visual centre. Alg‚rie en flammes is considered the first national film in Algeria.