As violence escalates on both sides, children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés, and French soldiers resort to torture to break the will of the insurgents.

Emphasised by a rousing score from Ennio Morricone, it features ground-breaking use of amateur actors, including Algerian activists such as Saadi Yacef, all adding to the film’s realism – so much so that the film is used by military organisations including the Pentagon to offer insights into guerrilla strategy and the effects of foreign occupation.

Digitally remastered in 4K and accurately restored preserving the grainy, newsreel look that the director Gillo Pontecorvo designed, the restoration was made by the L’Immagine Ritrovata with the participation of the director’s son, cinematographer and director Marco Pontecorvo, in collaboration with CultFilms.

This screening will be introduced by Dr. Des O'Rawe, senior lecturer in Film Studies at Queen's University.

Visions of Europe returns for its 5th edition, celebrating the breadth of European cinema with a handpicked selection of new releases, previews, festival hits and classics returning to the big screen.

This film is Pay What You Can. This scheme invites you to think about your own circumstances and what you can afford to spend at the cinema. Instead of our usual ticket types, for all Visions of Europe films we have a sliding scale with tickets at £4, £7, £10 and £15. Find out more. 

Supported by Film Hub NI, part of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from National Lottery.