Cinema in Algeria has gone through many phases; it has served as a means of communication, expression, documentation and activism

Cinema of the Occupation:

This was characterised by a negative ideological stance towards the Algerian people, conveying a negative stereotype (the ‘stupid Muslim’) and promoting the culture and policies of the occupation. In early 1896, the Frenchman Félix Mesguich filmed scenes from Algiers and Oran and screened them for the colonists, This was in addition to a few film screenings, with only a handful of pioneers making their mark in this field.

No cinemas were established in Algeria until 1908, by which time there were seven such venues by 1914.

Colonial cinematic trends took three forms:

1. The exotic film: portraying Algerians as strange beings who arouse curiosity,

2. The derogatory film:  portraying Algerians as incapable of thought and a bunch of fools, whilst Europeans are depicted as advanced and enlightened,

3. The propaganda film:  The Cinematographic Broadcasting Service was established in 1943, as was the Algerian Film Service, both operating within the ideology of psychological warfare  to highlight the occupier’s military strength.

The most famous films of this period:  The Funny Muslim, as well as several documentaries including The Kasbah (1957), The Zahra (1957) and Peace in Algeria (1958) (all in French)

Algerian Resistance Cinema:

The establishment of the Algerian Film School in 1957: This came within the framework of counter-propaganda, seeking to shatter the stereotypical image created by French cinema of the occupying army’s streng th. It also served as a realistic documentary of the course of the liberation revolution by portraying the people’s suffering and conveying their voice to determine their destiny on the global stage. Among the most notable works of this era are: Nurses of the Liberation Army, The Attack on the Mines of Ounza, and The Refugees.

It is worth noting that during the occupation, cinema saw productions by French filmmakers in solidarity with the liberation revolution, such as the works of René Fautier  (the 1955 film *Algeria, a Nation*) as well as some Arab directors, such as the 1958 film *The Beauty of Algeria*, directed by Youssef Chahine