Conversation with Olivier Hadouchi was moderated by Maria do Carmo Piçarra

As part of the activities of the Aleph – Action and Investigation Network on (Anti) Colonial Images, there would be a talk on “Militant Cinema and Images of the Algerian War of Independence” with the French researcher Olivier Hadouchi. The initiative, which was promoted by CECS researcher Maria do Carmo Piçarra, as part of her postdoctoral program, took place on September 7 (7:00 p.m.) at the Hangar-Centro de Investigação Artística.

During the War of Independence of Algeria (1954-1962), various militants’ films were done to promote the idea of Algerian independence or the solidarity with that cause). The images of the repression and the use of the torture by French army in Algerian villages and cities, or the image of the fighters (showed as a Third World guerrillero/partisan fighters from a real army) of the principal Algerian Movement of independence (the Front of National Liberation), the question of the refugees and the young orphans of war were part of their representations.

Filmmakers from different countries (like USA, ex-Yugoslavia, Italy, Bulgaria…) and even some French (René Vautier, Cécile Decugis, Pierre Clément…) opposed to the colonialism and imperialism of their country were part of that international network.

This way of creating an international network supporting independence was also used after by several movement of liberation from the Third World and the Tricontinental (OSPAAAL Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, America Latina), and Algiers was considered as the « Mecca of the revolutionaries » (according to Amílcal Cabral) in Africa during the sixties and the seventies, supporting the MPLA, FRELIMO, PAIGC, PLO, ANC… and opened his doors to exiled political like Manuel Alegre or Eldridge and Kathleen Cleaver.

Images and films extracts would be shown during the lecture.

Complete information, here

Photo: © Augusta Conchiglia