HORS- LA- LOI (OUTSIDE THE LAW)

Algeria, 2010, 137 minutes, Colour.
Jamil Debbouze, Roschty Zem, Sami Bouajila.
Directed by Rachid Bouchareb.

There was double security at the venues in Cannes for the screening of this film, no food or liquids allowed inside the cinemas and bags more thoroughly searched. Even before the screening it had caused protests and debates in France. The subject: the fight for Algerian independence, especially in the 1950s and 1960s until it was achieved in 1962. Needless to say, this involves an indictment of much French colonial action and dominance. It also raises questions of what is Resistance and what is Terrorism – resistance for the French in World War II, terrorism for the Algerian action for independence. A perennial question and one that is still dominant in the world, especially for Israel and Palestine.

Boucharib has made some quieter and intense films, Little Senegal and London River (both SIGNIS and Ecumenical award winners). He also made the striking Indigenes, about the Algerian soldiers who fought with and for the French but were treated as colonials – the film led to the French government awarding belated pensions to some of the Algerian veterans. Hors- La- Loi follows Indigenes with some of the same cast.

On May 8th 1945, Europe celebrated VE day. The same day there were marches in Algeria for the independence movement which led to protests and fierce shooting into the crowds by police, soldiers and citizens. This film follows the lives of three brothers, each with a different perspective on the indendence movement.

One bcomes something of a spiv in Pigalle, opening a night club and training a boxer to be world champion. Another has experienced the war in Vietnam and French defeat. The third was imprisoned on May 8th 1945 and served ten years in a French jail where he learned protest and strategies.

It is the latter brother who is the focus of the film, an intellectual who is committed to an ideology rather than to people (the actor who plays him remarked that this man is trapped in his own charisma). He is unscrupulous in using terror methods but cannot kill any individual. It is his soldier brother who does this for him.

The film highlights their lives and action from 1956 to 1961 and immerses the audience in the experience of Algerians living in France and of the ruthlessness of the French police in dealing with them.

The film portrays historical events, tells a narrative that challenges the audience to reflect on the importance of freedom, the evils of colonialism and the consequences and, always, to ask questions about the use of violence to win a cause and to free people.

1. The importance of this film? Algerian history? Supplying information, a narrative, emotion, different perceptions?

2. The director, his work with indigenes and changing of French law about pensions for Algerian soldiers who fought in World War Two with the French? His ability to tell stories?

3. The re-creation of Algeria in 1925, the land, its vastness, the new landowners, the native people having to move? The transition to 1945, the city of Sefit, May 8th, VE Day, the march, the protest, Algerian independence? The police, the troops, the ordinary citizens, shooting to kill? The massacre of the Algerians? The arrests, lining up victims against the wall and shooting them? This information on the record?

4. France in the 1950s and 60s? Paris, the shantytown on the outskirts and the detail of the town, buildings, roads? Pigalle and the nightclubs and the boxing area? The ordinary city, the police precincts, the countryside? The musical score?

5. The introduction to the family, the father and his being moved off the land, his ancestors living there, not having papers and deeds, the French Colonials taking over the land? Ousting the families? Unable to support themselves? Abdel Kader and his not being able to go to school? The other boys, the girls? The wife and her reluctant leaving the countryside? Their taking the soil with them?

6. The family on May 8th, 1945? The father being shot in the protests? The girls killed? Saeed and his ability to escape? Abdel Kader and his being arrested, saving the flag?

7. 1954, Indochina, the defeat of the French at Dien Ben Phu? France and its colonial powers? The war, defeat, prisoners? The Vietnamese making parallels for the Africans to fight for independence? Messaoud and his being a soldier, released and going home?

8. Saeed and his mother, Saeed persuading her to go to France, to see her sons? Abdel Kader in prison, the executions by guillotine, his studying? Saeed and his possibility for working in the Renault factory, seeing the well-dressed man in the street, becoming a pimp, the girl and her proceeds, his becoming a petty gangster, his promoting the boxing, his suits and his hat?

9. Abdel Kader and his being released, the return to the family, working with Messaoud in the Renault factory? Messaoud and his military background, the young girl, the marriage ceremony - interrupted by the French police, taking away hostages?

10. The activity in favour of Algerian independence? The different groupings? Those in favour of more peaceful revolutions? The activists, the NLF? Progress and resistance? The pros and cons of resistance or terrorism? The methods of terrorism, the deaths, the violence? The praise as resistance? The condemnation as terrorism? The effect on individuals, Messaoud and his absence, using his military techniques, killing people, the strangling, the shootings? The plots? Abdel Kader and his devoting himself to the cause, becoming fanatical, an ideology rather than anything personal? Ruthlessness, yet not able to kill? Intelligent, relentless? The formation of groups, trying to start in the factory, the friends in the shantytown? Activities, tactics, Abdel Kader and his better clothes, more upmarket? The collaboration? Going to Germany, the collecting of funds, the role of Helene? The buying of the arms in Germany?

11. Characters and change, Abdel Kader as leader, trapped by his own charisma, the confrontation with the police, his condoning violence, all in the name of the cause, Helene trying to make a personal approach, his almost giving in, her death with the car bomb? Messaoud and his critique, his work as a soldier, distance from his family? Saeed and his life, the nightclub and its prosperity, training the champion, the threats from Abdel Kader?

12. 1956-61, life in Paris, the attacks, the move towards Algerian independence, the stances of the French, General de Gaulle?

13. The French and their killing the Algerians, the revenge? Messaoud getting information from his military friend, going into the police precinct, killing the violent commander? Taking the colonel, his discussions with Abdel Kader, his forming the Red Hand, outside the law, the attacks, the bombings in the shantytown?

14. The visit to Germany, the arms, the buses? The man tortured and giving information? Saeed and his being closed down, driving to rescue his brothers? The shootout and the attack on the buses, the many deaths?

15. The mother, her patient life in France, happy with the marriage and the grandchild, the difficulties of the birth? The wife and her wanting to be a good wife to Messaoud? The mother and her TB?

16. The boxing tournament, October 1961, the warnings against the tournament, Saeed and his being pressurised by Abdel Kader, shooting his champion? The case, on the Metro, getting into the train, the Algerian support? The next station and the massacre, Abdel Kader's death?

17. The use of newsreel information throughout the film, of 1945, of the 50s, of 1962 and Algerian independence?

18. The importance of this kind of film in order to show the history, the different sides, the violence, right or wrong?