Festival of Cannes : presentation of the film 'Indigènes' |
|
Collection title
20 heures le journal
First broadcast date
05/25/2006
Abstract
Presentation of the film "Days of Glory" (Indigènes) in competition at the Festival of Cannes, which tells the epic story of soldiers from North Africa and black Africa who fought for France during World War II.
The commentary on extracts of the film alternates with interviews with Samy Naceri actor, Rachid Bouchareb, director, and veterans who recall the difference of pay between "indigenous" and European soldiers.
Production companies
-
France 2 - Own production
Personalities
- Debbouze Jamel
- Bouchareb Rachid
- Naceri Samy
Secondary themes
- Contemporary historical challenges 19th-20th c.
- Society and way of life / Migrations
Credits / Cast
- Deschamps Pascale - Journalist
Map locations
- France - South East - Cannes
Context
Cannes Film Festival: presentation of the film Days of Glory (Original Title: Indigènes – natives) – INA00007
Yvan Gastaut
This report by Pascale Deschamps, broadcast on the eight o'clock news on France 2 presented by David Pujadas, talks about the presentation in official competition of Days of Glory, of the Franco-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb (born in 1953), at the Cannes International Film Festival, on May 25, 2006.
The movie is about the epic of soldiers from North and Black Africa who fought for France during World War II. In 1943, after the landing of the Americans in Algeria and Morocco, a “Liberation Army” is formed from the French colonies in North Africa. Rachid Bouchareb recounts the discovery of conflict and of the European continent, from Italy to the gates of Alsace, by three Algerian tirailleurs and a Moroccan goumier: Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila), Saïd (Jamel Debouzze), Messaoud (Roshdy Zem) and Yassir (Samy Naceri).
Even though the war raised their political awareness and infused them with a sense of solidarity, it mostly generated a lot of disappointments due to the discrimination suffered by each of them and the death in battle of most of them. Abdelkader, the only to survive, lived his remaining days in a hostel for immigrant workers.
The eight o’clock news stresses the fact that the film's participation in the Cannes Festival is likely to change attitudes towards people from the Maghreb living in France. Remembering their story as part of the “great” history of France reflects the shared commitment to take note of the sacrifice of native soldiers for France through the two painful world wars. The report shows excerpts from the film interrupted by the interviews with Samy Naceri, Rachid Bouchareb, as well as veterans talking about the difference in pay between “native” soldiers and “European” soldiers.
Although the film failed to win the Palme d'Or, its five leading actors (the four named above, in addition to Bernard Blancan in the role of an Algerian-born French sergeant) won the Best Actor Award at the end of that year's festival. Furthermore, in 2007, Days of Glory won the Cesar Award for Best Original Screenplay.
And a few months later, when the movie hit the theaters, on September 27, 2006, the De Villepin government (under the leadership of French President Jacques Chirac), announced that the 80000 veterans of the French Empire who are still alive will receive the same pensions as their French comrades-in-arms. Days of Glory is a revealing movie, a distinguished work that marked its time.
Webography
The forgotten native soldiers of the two world wars (column written by Jean-Pierre Husson)
http://www.cndp.fr/crdp-reims/memoire/enseigner/soldats_indigenes/menu.htm
Bibliography
Razik Alex Menidjel, The Algerian Tirailleurs, Publibook Editions, 2007
