On November 1, 1954, after 130 years of French presence,
the National Liberation Front (FLN) launched an insurgency in Algeria.
Faced with the FLN's resolve to negotiate independence,
France responded by sending in 500,000 young conscripts.
In 1959, despite UN criticism,
France stepped up military operations in Algeria.
INTIMATE ENEMIES
ALGERlA: July 1959. Somewhere in Kabylia...
Spa rrowhawk, this is Chamois.
Do you read me?
Chamois, this is Sparrowhawk. Read you loud and clear.
We'II be at 1 8-35 in 1 0 minutes. Over.
Read you five-by-five, Sparrowhawk.
We'll cover you from behind at 17-35 in 30 minutes. Out.
Roger. Over and out.
Constantin wants a pincer movement here.
No good here, sergeant.
Fire!
Fuck! I'm hit.
It's nothing. Put this on and return to your position!
Sergeant!
Sparrowhawk, this is Chamois. We've engaged enemy at 18-25.
I repeat: Enemy at 18-25.
Watch out! They're falling back in your direction!
They're already here! They're hitting us with machine guns!
A wounded man!
Tillois's been hit!
Cease fire! It's Dougnac.
Cease fire. They're ours!
Cease fire!
It's Dougnac. They're ours.
They're ours!
Why the fuck aren't you at 1 7-35?
Lt. Constantin positioned us. Major's orders.
He's way off. Where's the moron?
Up there.
Constantin!
Shit!
Mazel Outpost.
Attention!
Present arms!
Lt. Constantin,
in the name of the President
and by virtue of the powers vested in me,
I name you knight in the Legion of Honor.
We award you the Cross of Military Valor.
You volunteered.
Congratulations.
You could've had a desk job in AIgiers.
- What do you do in civilian Iife? - Industrial designer.
For a first assignment,
you're starting off in a tough situation.
You're replacing a dead man.
What rotten Iuck Constantin had.
It was his Iast mission.
He was supposed to go home today.
You have the remotest sector.
A unit of 100 fellaghas is giving us a hard time there.
It's Ied by an ex-WWII sergeant in De Lattre's army. Name's SIimane.
He's hiding somewhere in these mountains.
You're to track him down.
Locate his unit so we can destroy it.
How'd they ambush Constantin?
His time had come, that's all.
Get yourself cleaned up, Iieutenant.
Sgt. Dougnac will take you to your quarters.
I'm returning to CP.
Tomorrow you yomp to Tada.
Fellaghas were sighted there Iast night.
Yes, sir.
Mission to Taida. Edge of Forbidden Zone.
Down there...
With the boy, by the sheep.
That's Zarah, my cousin. Next to her is Amar,
her son.
- That your village? - Taida...
We control it by day,
the fellaghas control it by night.
A collector comes for the revolutionary tax every 2 weeks.
They pay it?
If they don't...
See that old man
sitting on the rock?
He's the Iookout.
The fellaghas cut off his nose and Iips for smoking.
Smoking is forbidden.
So you see, sir, everyone pays.
They have no choice.
Chief! Chief!
So, Meziane...
Nothing to report?
They came Iast night.
They took the food... bread, beans, everything.
You're too generous.
- They didn't take guns? - Guns, here? No, chief.
No bullshit. I know the fellaghas have a stash here.
Question everyone. Search all the houses!
Lefranc, Lacroix at 10 o'clock. Maheu, Zunino at 12 o'clock.
No one knows anything here.
Fuck off!
So, cousin,
has SIimane been here?
- Where are the guns? - We saw nothing.
Amar, was your brother with SIimane?
He didn't see anything.
I'm talking to your son.
My brother... he'II kill you.
That's enough!
He's bullshitting us, sir.
Not my son. Leave him alone.
He's not hurting anyone. He didn't see anything.
Sir!
Tell them, Rashid.
The boy was away. His brother's a fellagha.
He must've seen him.
Bring him. I'II make him talk.
Leave him to me.
No, a boy stays with his mother.
Fall in. We're moving out.
Move out!
We'II be back, Meziane.
Next time, tell the truth. Or you know what'II happen...
- 40 on Rougier. - I bet 20.
Shit!
- Give me a Iight? - Hold on.
Watch this.
Give it to her in the tits!
Bull's eye!
So who's the ace of spades? Yours truly.
Attention!
Skip it.
No saluting in the canteen.
Carry on, gentlemen.
Got any Iemonade?
This isn't kindergarten, sir. But Iet me check.
You know: "A non-drinking officer is no soldier"?
In that case... Drinks all around.
The Iieutenant's buying.
Let's hear it for the Iieutenant...
You shouldn't wear your bars.
Gold draws Iead out there.
I propose a toast to Lt. Constantin.
To Lt. Constantin!
Second mission to Taida.
Wait, wait.
Forward. Single file.
This way's Ionger but no one'II see us coming.
You sure of your information?
Tell the Iieutenant what your cousin told you.
She said the collector comes today.
Go check things out. Take Lounes.
Rashid's a good soldier.
Like all ex-fellaghas, he knows the terrain.
He rallied to our side?
We rallied him.
- And you trust him? - Don't worry.
He's in up to his eyeballs.
We missed the collector. Everyone's gone.
The village Iooks empty.
Rashid...
It happened Iast night.
The fellaghas must have expected us.
It's not random savagery.
They wanted to make an example for the other villages. Understand?
You'II be okay.
It's over. It's over.
You'II be fine.
Attention!
At ease.
Men...
It's hard for me...
I can't find the words to...
What the Iieutenant means...
is that what you saw at Taida...
you must never forget.
Fall out.
Mission in the Forbidden Zone.
Sir...
At 12 o'clock.
Lefranc...
Radio contact with Chamois!
Chamois, this is Authority.
Authority, this is Chamois.
Don't shoot. They're women.
Negative.
In the Zone, orders are : if it moves, shoot it.
You don't fire on unarmed women...
Goddammit, Dougnac!
I gave you an order! What got into you?
Women here go barefoot.
You couldn't know.
Nice work, sergeant.
Fall in. We continue the mission. Objective: Meshta Rehki.
Why are you in the Forbidden Zone?
Where's SIimane?
What'd he say?
- That he saw no one. - He's Iying.
He's a fellagha. We fought together.
Me not fellagha.
Long Iive De Gaulle!
You Iying bastard fellagha!
None of that with me.
You heard the Iieutenant!
Search the area!
- Maheu, first aid kit! - Yes, sir.
Inform CP we have a prisoner.
Got my cigarettes?
And the bubbly?
'Evening, sir.
Major Vesoul sent me for the prisoner.
Fine. He got hit on the head.
- Have a medic examine him. - We'II handle him.
Thank you.
Have a good evening.
You're really drunk, sergeant.
I'II take you back.
Who's the ace of spades?
Yours truly.
Go on, cut the deck!
You'II see what I cut.
Lacroix, come here!
"Darling, all's well here.
"The people are friendly.
"Our presence reassures them."
Where's SIimane?
He was gonna talk, sir.
Get the fuck out of my sector.
Got that?
You bring my coffee now?
- Your son draw those? - Yes.
He's six years old.
Thanks for everything, Iieutenant.
It'II be all right.
We'II take care of you.
Hey, Lacroix...
Lefranc!
Wanna swap?
Hard to find meat in that muck, isn't it, sir?
Sayeed!
Your sardines good?
Sardines are Muslim rations.
I'm a convert.
Smile, sir. A souvenir for when I get out of this shithole.
Leave him alone. Film Sayeed's scar instead.
Show the Iieutenant your scar.
Monte Cassino. May 18, 1943.
Let's see it.
It took the AIIies four assaults to take Monte Cassino.
The Yanks, Brits, Kiwis and Poles failed.
Not the Free French.
We fought the German commandos hand-to-hand. A bloodbath.
Thanks to guys Iike Sayeed the Rome road was opened.
Major Berne said: "My greatest pride...
"...was to command such men."
A helluva battle, Monte Cassino.
- You were Iucky to come out alive. - Yes, sir.
A bayonet cut, 74 stitches and a medal!
Fuck death, right, Sayeed?
- You're a real warrior. - Yes, a good soldier.
So good the fellaghas wanted to force me to join them.
They butchered my wife...
and three children.
Got family back in France?
Not really.
A wife in Indochina for two years.
I send her money once in a while. And you?
A wife and a Iittle boy.
You must miss them.
You should go home to them.
Every morning, he'd write his girl,
starting his Ietter with:
"I'm writing in the flow of racing bullets."
- "The flow of racing bullets"? - Yep. Racing bullets!
- "GIow" of "tracer" bullets, dope! - Right...
Sarge, hold my gun and give me a pen.
You shoot, I write.
Move it, dummy.
Attention!
Fall them out.
Fall out.
To your tents. Don't just stand there.
Your prisoner talked, Iieutenant. He just confessed.
We'II nab SIimane.
We know which day he comes.
We'II mount an operation.
Come with me, Terrien.
I'd Iike you to meet Capt. Berthaut, intelligence.
At ease.
I'II Iet you two get acquainted.
How goes it with good old Dougnac?
You know we fought in Indochina together?
A drink, Iieutenant?
You should. It's refreshing.
I hear you've been having qualms?
I made your prisoner come clean.
I don't Iike it either.
But I obey orders.
If an order is morally unacceptable, you should refuse it, sir.
And this...
is it morally acceptable?
I'II spare you these, so you don't puke.
Bodies of mutilated Frenchmen.
Throats cut, their balls in their mouth.
When I have doubts, I take a Iook.
The FLN may use vile methods, but yours are no better, sir.
It's Iike Indochina. This is no conventional war.
This is psychological warfare.
The FLN is a minority.
It's undermining the country. It must be eliminated.
Can we speak openly?
Go ahead.
You think it's normal
to grant independence to Tunisia and Morocco
but not AIgeria? - There's no comparison.
AIgeria is France.
If AIgeria is France,
we should start by giving everyone equal rights.
Treat the AIgerians Iike French citizens,
not Iike colonial subjects.
If you think about it, the FLN has reason to fight.
Someday, we'II have to negotiate.
You can't fight barbarism with barbarism, sir.
This may come as a surprise.
15 years ago, I was in the French Underground.
I set up ambushes.
I was arrested and tortured by the Gestapo. Somehow I survived.
But I Iost these.
I spit out my real teeth in the bathtub.
You just got here.
You'II see. You'II come around.
Like we all have.
I doubt it.
Operation Slimane at Meshta Rehki.
Don't Ieave my side.
Sun, this is Rock. Nothing to report.
Roger. Remain in place. Out.
I hope the old man didn't Iie.
At 1 1 0 volts, the truth always comes out.
They'II come at nightfall.
That's what I'd do.
What the hell...
Shit!
Where the fuck are they?
Theron, PRC6!
Sun, this is Rock.
Enemy 100 meters above!
They're hitting us with MG-42s.
Roger.
Go after them.
They need help.
I wouldn't.
The Iieutenant can handle it.
Dougnac's covering us.
Get ready.
PIatoon, forward!
Go! Go! Go!
Rougier!
AIIah is great...
and Mahomet is his prophet.
Go get 'em, Dougnac.
Like in Indochina.
He was the scout.
The rest are up there.
They were here before us.
Someone tipped them off.
Tell the major to move it.
This is Rock...
We're pinned down!
Take them from behind at 18-35.
I repeat: request support!
He's right. We have to do it now!
Requesting Channel 16. Sending in the special drums.
- But, major... - Negative.
Would you rather Iose the company?
Not the drums!
Not the drums, sir.
Don't move. Air support in 2 minutes.
- Read me, Rock? - Roger.
Kerchiefs!
Kerchiefs, everyone!
Kerchief, Lefranc.
Your kerchief, Iieutenant.
Mission accomplished. Request permission to return to base.
Well done. You can go home. Out.
Rock, this is Sun.
Go check it out.
AIIah is great and Mahomet is his prophet.
For the ace of spades.
And for Rougier.
For Delmas.
They're sending the bodies home tomorrow.
I have to write the families.
I thought napalm was only in the event of war.
What do you mean, war? Officially we're maintaining order.
Same with the napalm. See any napalm? Just "special drums".
A goddamn beer, Amar!
A beer!
I bet he was the rat.
For me, too. Don't fuck with me!
You're paranoid.
Mission in Forbidden Zone.
No fellaghas tonight, sergeant.
You're right.
They won't come now.
We'II rest here, then head back.
PIatoon!
Sir,
come see something.
Beautiful, isn't it?
It's a hideout.
I used to come here when I was Iittle.
With your brother.
Here...
For you.
Take it.
Vigier and Attia, this way!
Search the perimeter. Every bush. Every rock!
Lefranc at 12 o'clock with four men. Go, go, go!
What's the problem?
Rashid's gone.
Lacroix, your machine gun up there!
Fucking traitor Rashid.
Deploy on the crest.
Major Vesoul wants us to report to him on Rashid's disappearance.
I can't believe he went back over to the fellaghas.
For now, he's just missing.
"In the end, the strength of the innocent is broken
"Had I known the outcome of accursed fate
"I would have attacked first
"For they will cut my throat
"Or banish me from this Iand."
It's a Kabyle poem.
In French it means...
It means, "Get the hell out, Frenchmen.
"Or we'II kill every Iast one of you."
For the fellaghas, the French in AIgeria
are Iike the Germans for you during the war.
They think they're Iike the French freedom fighters.
What about you?
Me, chief, I'm a soldier.
I fought the Germans with the French.
Now I fight the FLN with the French.
That's how it is.
And Rashid?
Rashid is a good soldier.
And he's become my friend.
But I'd shoot him on the spot if he were a traitor.
Track to company CP.
Poor Rashid.
He no Ionger knew whose side he was on.
Hello, Dougnac.
Berthaut.
I brought you a gift, Terrien.
No use to us at CP.
Take him out somewhere.
- Like a walk in the woods. - Negative.
Get rid of him. Orders.
I refuse to obey.
You're starting to piss me off.
Do as you're told.
And if I don't, sir?
Very well.
I'II report you.
Maheu, Zunino!
Mail's here!
It's the mail!
So, Berthaut?
- Still on a Iucky streak? - Still.
I'II handle the prisoner. Lay off Terrien.
Why should l?
Because I saved your skin in lndochina.
Why the limp?
A wound.
Recent?
No, in WWll.
You fought in WWll?
Yes.
Where were you wounded?
Monte Cassino.
No shit! Me, too.
What's your name?
Idir Danoun.
Doesn't ring a bell.
You were at Belvedere?
Remember when
the Krauts took pot shots at us from Cifalco?
What's going on?
Amazing! We fought at Monte Cassino together.
You were there?
Which regiment?
7th Algerian lnfantry. 2nd Company.
We'll halt here.
A cigarette?
Do you have
family in these parts?
No one. All dead. Butchered.
Why'd you join the FLN?
Look at this cigarette.
This is you.
On one end is the French army.
On the other, the FLN.
Either way, you lose.
You don't know who you are anymore.
You're no longer an Algerian.
You'll never be a Frenchman.
Go on.
Go on, move it!
Beat it.
Wait!
My medal.
Go ahead.
Platoon... attention!
At ease.
Soldier...
you're free.
I said you're free.
A fellagha like him murdered my family.
It's the lieutenant, sarge.
The prisoner was shot trying to escape.
I'll report it.
You really think I'm stupid.
Go on. Dismissed.
Mail's here, guys!
Come in.
Mail for you, sir.
Put it there.
Don't open your mail?
Urgent message from CP, sir.
- Fall the men in. - Yes, sir.
Dismissed.
Fall in.
Attention!
Cover down!
Left, face!
At ease.
Our planes spotted the fellagha unit headed by Slimane.
We're to enter the Forbidden Zone over the mountain
and locate their hideaway.
Vigier, Attia, Danoun, Zunino, Krimo,
stay in camp.
You others: 48-hour mission with full packs.
We move out in 10 minutes.
Fall out, sergeant.
Attention!
Fall out.
48 hour mission - 8:35 a,m,
- Shit! - Take cover!
Take cover!
Lacroix, the machine gun!
The machine gun!
I can't. I lost it!
- Go recover it! - I'll go.
No, I will.
Lacroix!
Recover the machine gun!
Sayeed, recover it!
- Go, now! - I won't do it.
That's an order.
I can't, sergeant.
Go!
Recover it. That's an order!
Get your ass in gear.
What's the matter?
What the fuck!
Cover me!
Why can't you do it?
They're fellaghas, too.
Why can't you?
Sergeant!
The enemy's fallen back.
You're fucking insane.
On your feet!
Sun, this is Rock, do you read me?
I read you,
Here's Major Vesoul.
This is Sun Authority, Go ahead, Rock,
The rebels engaged us well before contact point.
We have wounded to evacuate. Over.
Roger, Here are the orders,
Sending a chopper to evacuate wounded,
Divide platoon into two groups,
Group 1 will Iink up at 14-50
at dawn for collection,
Group 2 will pursue mission,
Group 2 is to pursue mission, Over,
Sir,
we have a n e ne my unit on our bac k. We should ca ncel mission. Over.
Negative, Orders are to pursue mission,
Fuck!
I repeat: pursue mission, Over and out,
Hear that?
What do you think?
Negative. You evacuate the wounded man.
We link up at 1 8-65 and pursue mission together.
Sayeed, Hassib, Ali, Lefranc, Maheu, Amar... with me.
You others, with me.
Good luck, lieutenant.
Move, move, move!
Forbidden Zone, 9: 40 p,m,
Do we have to go this way, sir?
We have no choice.
Sayeed, take a man. Go ahead and check it out.
I want to go home, sir.
I don't want to die here like Delmas and the others.
Don't say that.
You'll make it.
I have these images in my head.
You know, the napalm.
I can still taste it.
I know.
We all do.
You'll film Montmartre for us,
and show it to the guys.
Thank you, sir.
- I'm going home? - Yes.
Hey, Ouram,
hand me my camera.
Going home, goddammit.
I'm going home!
This way.
4:30 a,m,
Chopper approaching, sir.
5:22 a,m,
Take cover!
It's a sniper.
You're safe going that way. I'll stay here.
Evacuate!
Rally point, 7: 31 a,m,
Do you read me, Chamois?
Well?
It's crawling with rebels!
They're moving in small groups, as if they were stalking us.
We have to get out of here.
We can't stay here.
We stay at the rally point and wait for the sergeant.
We have to get out of here. It's too dangerous!
That's an order!
Here he comes.
There, at 1 1 o'clock.
They're headed for the sarge. He hasn't seen them.
They're heavily loaded.
Fire!
Read you 4-by-5, Over,
Request chopper at 19-77:
one wounded, one dead.
Negative, AII choppers in operation,
Negative, CP! It's at least a 1 2-hour march
to the nearest post. I need immediate evacuation.
I repeat: negative, There's nothing in your sector,
Fucking shit! Are you deaf? I need an evacuation!
End of transmission,
This is Fennec, Do you read me?
Sergeant!
- Do you read me? - I read you,
I'II be in your sector in 40 minutes for evacuation, I repeat,,,
Thank God, Berthaut! Careful, it's crawling with fellaghas.
Relax, old man,
We rally at 16-28, Location is safe, I repeat: Iocation is safe,
I read you. Be there in 30 minutes.
Move out!
Don't worry.
You'll be kissing the girls again soon.
Thanks, sergeant.
Thank the captain here.
Thanks, captain.
It's nothing, son.
Watch out. Terrien's having a bad time.
Relax. He's tough.
Thanks.
We're even now.
The slate's clean.
- Here we go. - Yes, sir.
So long, Lefranc.
- Bang 'em hard! - So long, guys.
So long, Lefranc!
For Algeria.
8: 30 a,m,
It's them.
Dougnac, it's them!
Platoon, halt!
It's them.
Dougnac, it's them!
Over there.
It's them down there.
It's Berthaut at 12 o'clock.
No, at 10 o'clock.
Fuck!
We're too far.
Theron, PRC6!
Come in, Fennec. Enemy at 10 o'clock above the defile.
Enemy at 10 o'clock.
Fellaghas on your ass, Berthaut!
Theron, request backup.
Channel 16, air support.
Dougnac, let's go.
They'll be gone by then. We can only circle around.
I'm going.
Dougnac... take two men and my chopper.
Take Berthaut's body to CP.
Ask for a medic to...
I mean...
I want him presentable for his family.
Take a good look.
This is the real face of the FLN.
They murder
and mutilate your friends.
Some of you may wonder what you're doing in Algeria,
far from your homes
and families.
I hope you now know why you're fighting.
This crime won't go unpunished.
12:30 p,m,
Everyone out!
Out, you!
You bitch!
Everyone out! Outside, I said!
Keep the bastards moving!
Tell them to shut the fuck up!
Shut up!
We have the whole village, sir.
Sir...
This was in the old man's house. And this man was hiding,
with a bullet wound.
Don't touch me.
What'd he say?
That the Americans left guns
while fighting Rommel in '43.
He says he served France in WWl and has his military papers.
And the wound?
He's full of shit.
See to the prisoners.
What about the villagers?
As we found guns and a wounded man...
Your leader's name? Is Slimane your leader?
You gonna talk?
Look at the old man. We'll rip his balls off.
Do you know Slimane? Do you?
In the balls!
Talk! Talk!
Say something!
Help him, please!
Tell them what you know!
They don't know anything!
He's too old. Stop!
- Not you, sir. - What's the matter?
Is he your grandfather?
Want the juice, too? Beat it!
Theron, crank!
Zunino, water!
I'll cut your balls off.
- Stop it! - Scumbag!
- Crank, Theron. - Talk!
It stopped flowing.
There's no more juice.
Shit!
What's the point?
He's dead!
You assholes!
I swear you're gonna talk.
Where's Slimane? Where is he?
Your prisoner told the truth, We confirmed it,
SIimane was burned to death during Operation Meshta Rehki,
Good work, Mission accomplished,
Organize an escape attempt,
There's a clearing below, by the track,
Make sure you get rid of the body,
Ready... a im...
Sir...
Fire.
When you're done,
make your report to me at CP,
There'II be a medal and Ieave waiting for you,
He re you a re, sir.
Supper's ready, Pierre.
Just five more minutes, Mommy.
You get up here now.
You want a spanking?
Oh, all right.
Drive.
Do you know the Iand whose prince is a child,
off-Iimits to enemies of dreams and poetry?
Here are all the enchantments we had forgotten,
In December, the French spend 250 million on their children,
A modest sum for what
they give us in return,
In AIgeria,
the northern part of the Bushim Sila pipeline
is again growing by 3 miles a day,
In the northern A ures, pacification
is not an act of military conquest,
Rather, its aim is to win
hearts and minds,
In Mitidja, young conscripts protect the fields so peasants can work,
Thus our army is peacefully preparing tomorrow's AIgeria,
What a re you wa iting for?
Me or a fe llag ha...
What do you ca re?
Cra nk or I shoot.
You should've stayed in France.
You don't belong here.
Get the fuck out.
Give me that gun, sergeant.
That's an order.
You have to report this, sir.
Dismissed.
Sunday December 24,
Silent night
Iovely night
Peace to all
on this day
AII is calm,
all is still
Men are friends who never fight
It is Christmas Day
Me rry Christmas!
The movie! The movie!
Please, stop.
What's the movie, The ron? We want Lollobrigida.
Sophia Loren.
Tits! Tits!
Please, please...
Calm down. It's not a movie.
Stop it,
please.
Listen to me.
Remember Lacroix said he'd make a surprise movie for Christmas.
On my last leave, I developed his film.
Candles out.
To Lacroix!
Bang 'em, guys!
Bang 'em, Lacroix.
That's me!
It's you, lieutenant.
There's the sergeant.
That's me.
Monte Cassino, May 18...
You broken record!
May 18, 1943!
Oh man...
Hey, Zunino, seen the sergeant?
- He went hunting, sir. - Alone?
Yes, sir.
- Which way? - Through the ravine.
The day Terrien died,
I was already gone,
I'd deserted,
I didn't see the end of the war,
AIgeria won independence in 1962,
It had been written all along,
It took me time to admit it,
We'd fought in vain, Friends had died for nothing,
I sometimes think of Terrien,
He was Iucky to get the bullet he went Iooking for,
With his stupid idealism, he'd never have tolerated the man he'd become,
Two million young Frenchmen were mobilized in AIgeria,
27,000 Iost their Iives there,
There were an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 dead on the AIgerian side,
It was only in October 1999 that France officially recognized
there had been a war in AIgeria,