Can a film about the Algerian War be both a historical epic and controversial?
In short: Rachid Bouchareb’s 2010 drama Outside the Law ignited intense political debate in France before it even premiered. By framing the Algerian independence movement through the lens of classic gangster films and Westerns, the director challenged official historical narratives, sparking accusations of anti-French bias and historical inaccuracy regarding the Sétif massacre.
Outside the Law follows three Algerian brothers between 1945 and 1962, set against the backdrop of the Algerian War. It serves as a thematic follow-up to Bouchareb’s 2006 film Days of Glory. While not a direct sequel, the project shares many of the same actors and explores the post-World War II lives of North Africans who had previously fought for France. Bouchareb spent nine months interviewing witnesses and historians, followed by two years writing the screenplay, aiming to capture the complex transition from soldiers of France to independence activists.
The film’s portrayal of the 1945 Sétif massacre became the epicenter of a fierce political firestorm. French politician Lionnel Luca and the Defence Historical Service criticized the film for alleged historical errors, specifically arguing that the film misrepresented the sequence of violence between Europeans and Muslims. Conversely, supporters like co-producer Mustapha Orif defended the research process, while Algerian reviewers noted that the film courageously depicted internal conflicts within the Algerian National Movement—a topic often ignored in official Algerian history.
Stylistically, critics compared the film to The Godfather and Army of Shadows, noting its lean toward genre tropes. While some praised its aesthetic quality and ambition, others, such as Thomas Sotinel of Le Monde, argued that the reliance on artifice and stereotypes stifled the narrative. Despite its Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, the movie struggled at the box office, selling 393,335 tickets in France—a sharp decline from the 3.2 million tickets sold for Days of Glory. Bouchareb now intends to complete a trilogy, with a third installment focusing on 50 years of immigration.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Outside the Law (2010 film)
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