
Parisian authorities clash with the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) in director Alain Tasma’s recounting of one of the darkest moments of the Algerian War of Independence. As the war wound to a close and violence persisted in the streets of Paris, the FLN and its supporters adopted the tactic of murdering French policemen in hopes of forcing a withdrawal. When French law enforcement retaliated by brutalizing Algerians and imposing a strict curfew, the FLN organizes a peaceful demonstration that drew over 11,000 supporters, resulting in an order from the Paris police chief to take brutal countermeasures. Told through the eyes of both French policemen as well as Algerian protestors, Tasma’s film attempts to get to the root of the tragedy by presenting both sides of the story.
Abdé

Tarek

Ali Saïd

Ahmed

Mohamed

Le réfractaire

Maurice

L'Algérien au barrage

Hocine

L'homme de l'escalier

Haroun

Le collecteur

Sabine

Martin

Nathalie

Marie-Hélène

Delmas

Somveille

Brigadier Tiercé

Isabelle Martin

Le policier commissariat du 18 ème

Papon
Le voisin d'Abde
Bertaut

Jojo

Marcel
Level

Chaix

M. René

Nicolas

Ginet

Favre
Le médecin du centre de tri

Ministre Frey

Le planton Nanterre

L'infirmier du centre de tri

Legay

Le patron d'Abde

Le commandant du commissariat du 18 ème

Le journaliste

Le tueur d'Abde
Michaud

Le rédacteur

L'Algérien qui rit
A secretary