Topic: Colonialism

Direction Gillo Pontecorvo

Cast Jean Martin · Yacef Saadi · Brahim Haggiag · Fusia El Kader

Synopsis The Battle of Algiers (1966) is a compelling cinematic exploration of the Algerian War of Independence, commissioned by the Algerian government. The narrative delves into the perspectives of both the French colonial forces and the Algerian revolutionaries. The French Foreign...

Direction John Huston

Cast Sean Connery · Michael Caine · Christopher Plummer · Saeed Jaffrey

Synopsis The Man Who Would Be King (1975) kicks off with the renowned author Rudyard Kipling (Christopher Plummer) engrossed in his work, only to be interrupted by the sudden appearance of a disheveled old friend and fellow Freemason, Peachy Carnahan (Michael...

Direction Jean Renoir

Cast Patricia Walters · Adrienne Corri · Nora Swinburne · Esmond Knight

Synopsis The River (1951) follows Harriet (Patricia Walters), a thoughtful and imaginative teenager living in Bengal near the river. As the eldest daughter of a jute factory manager (Esmond Knight), she fills her days with poetry and observations of life from...

Direction Göran Olsson

Synopsis Concerning Violence (2014) delves into a compelling exploration of revolutionary movements in the Global South, utilizing recently unearthed, impactful archival footage that captures pivotal moments in the fight for independence and self-determination. This documentary is expertly paired with profound excerpts...

Direction Christopher Morahan · Jim O'Brien

Cast Peggy Ashcroft · Tim Pigott-Smith · Art Malik · Charles Dance

Synopsis The Jewel in the Crown (TV Miniseries) (1984) is a sprawling fifteen-hour adaptation of Paul Scott's "Raj Quartet" novels, offering a vivid portrayal of the waning days of British colonial rule in India. Set against the backdrop of 1942, the...

Direction Chris Marker · Alain Resnais

Synopsis Statues also Die (1953) explores the profound consequences of French colonial rule on African artistic heritage. The film, co-directed by Chris Marker and Alain Resnais, aims to reveal the emotional depth and cultural significance of African art, stating, "We want...

Direction Sydney Pollack

Cast Meryl Streep · Robert Redford · Klaus Maria Brandauer · Michael Kitchen

Synopsis Out of Africa (1985) is a cinematic adaptation of the memoir by Danish author Isak Dinesen, whose real name was Karen Blixen. The narrative follows Karen Blixen, a Danish noblewoman who enters into a marriage of convenience with her friend...

Direction Richard Attenborough

Cast Ben Kingsley · Roshan Seth · Martin Sheen · Ian Charleson

Synopsis Gandhi (1982) is a critically acclaimed biographical film directed by Richard Attenborough that chronicles the extraordinary journey of Mahatma Gandhi. The narrative begins in South Africa, where a young Indian attorney is forcibly removed from a train for his refusal...

Direction Raúl de la Fuente · Damian Nenow

Cast Miroslaw Haniszewski · Vergil J. Smith · Tomasz Zietek · Olga Boladz

Direction Satyajit Ray

Cast Sanjeev Kumar · Saeed Jaffrey · Amjad Khan · Richard Attenborough

Synopsis The Chess Players (1977) unfolds in the backdrop of colonial India during 1856, where the British Resident of the East India Company, portrayed by Richard Attenborough, notices the monarch of Lucknow's disinterest in governance. Seeking to exploit this, he plots...

Direction Ignacio Mercero · Iñaki Peñafiel · Norberto López Amado

Cast Adriana Ugarte · Hannah New · Peter Vives · Tristán Ulloa

Synopsis The Time in Between (TV Series) (2012) unfolds across Madrid and Tangier, Morocco, from 1935 to 1941, focusing on Sira Quiroga (Adriana Ugarte), a young dressmaker and daughter of a single mother who is a seamstress in Madrid. Sira's skills...

Direction Ousmane Sembene

Cast Mbissine Thérèse Diop · Anne-Marie Jelinek · Robert Fontaine · Momar Nar Sene

Synopsis Black Girl (1966) follows the journey of Diouanne, a young Senegalese woman who seeks a brighter future and secures a position as a nanny for an affluent French household. Initially hopeful, Diouanne's experiences turn sour as she faces mistreatment from...

Direction Gillo Pontecorvo

Cast Marlon Brando · Evaristo Márquez · Renato Salvatori · Norman Hill

Synopsis Burn! (1969) follows the story of Sir William Walker, a British mercenary who is hired by a British sugar company to overthrow the government of a Caribbean island nation. The company wants to maintain its monopoly on the sugar trade...

Direction David Lean

Cast Judy Davis · Victor Banerjee · Peggy Ashcroft · James Fox

Synopsis A Passage to India (1984) is set in the early 20th century during the British Raj in India. The story revolves around Dr. Aziz H. Ahmed, an Indian Muslim physician who is well-versed in English and adopts Western attire. His...

Direction Steven Knight · Kristoffer Nyholm · Anders Engström

Cast Tom Hardy · Oona Chaplin · Leo Bill · David Hayman

Synopsis Taboo (TV Series) (2017) follows the gripping tale of James Keziah Delaney, who arrives back in London in 1814 after a decade spent in Africa, only to find that his father has bequeathed him a perplexing inheritance. Motivated by a...

Direction René Vautier

Synopsis Afrique 50 (S) (1950) is the pioneering French anti-colonialist documentary. Initially commissioned by the French League of Schooling to highlight the educational endeavors in the French colonies of West Africa, the film took a dramatic turn. The young director, just...

Direction Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe

Cast Jean-Pierre Marielle · Jean-Louis Trintignant · Jean Carmet · Jean-Michel Dupuis

Synopsis La controverse de Valladolid (TV) (1992) presents a historical debate between two influential figures. One, a devoted monk, advocates for the humanity of South-American Indians and seeks to halt their brutal treatment. The other, a prominent philosopher, argues—or feigns to...

Direction Michael Curtiz

Cast Errol Flynn · Olivia de Havilland · Patric Knowles · Nigel Bruce

Synopsis The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) follows the story of Major Vickers, a dedicated officer serving with the 27th Lancers in India during 1856. While the regiment is engaged in maneuvers, Surat Khan and his forces launch a brutal...

Direction Wei Te-sheng

Cast Lin Ching-Tai · Da-Ching · Umin Boya · Lin Yuanjie

Direction Vsevolod Pudovkin

Cast Valery Inkijinoff · Aleksandr Chistyakov · Viktor Tsoppi · Karl Gurnyak

Synopsis Storm Over Asia (1928) follows the journey of a humble Mongolian herdsman who, in 1918, seeks refuge in the hills after a violent altercation with a deceitful Western fur trader. Two years later, he joins the partisans in their struggle...