Several members of the group felt that this film should be complemented by other Algerian films such as Bab El-Oued City (1994), with its cynical portrayal of the fundamentalist male characters, or the classic Battle of Algiers (1965), with the makeover of the Algerian woman.
The gender politics of the film are complex and likely to be confusing to the Western viewer. For example, the father of the village girl with whom the neighbor boy is obsessed is helpless vis a vis the young male terrorists, but seemingly brave with the hapless suitor. It was noted that women control the household space and constrain the male gaze at young women (cf. the 1990 Tunisian film Halfaouine). The Algerian film Half of Allah's Heaven (L'autre moitie du ciel d'Allah), from which we have a fine clip on the NITLE site, would make an interesting counterpoint for discussion of the post-war treament of women under Algerian family law. Still Ready: Three Women from the Moroccan Resistance, by Alison Baker, provides a somewhat similar view of Moroccan women who fought against the French.
Colleagues, please keep me posted about your experience with any of these films, and add links to any traching resources you've found useful.
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