French
France
1959, France. Colonel Breitner is given a secret mission: find the body of his former aide, Colonel Delignières, who is reported missing in French Algeria, before the French army burns the whole place to the ground. Breitner puts together a team of five outlaws, who are promised freedom if the mission succeeds.
An ambitious and non-conformist film that takes a new look at France’s colonial past in Algeria. We follow the abuses of a multiethnic commando where each person follows his own moral code. Abdel Raouf Dafri takes his first turn at directing. He previously co-wrote the screenplays for Julien Leclercq’s GIBRALTAR, Jacques Audiard’s A PROPHET and Jean-François Richet’s MESRINE. With its five-star cast - Olivier Gourmet, Johan Heldenbergh, Lyna Khoudri (revealed to us last year in Mounia Meddour’s PAPICHA) and Steve Tientcheu (LES MISÉRABLES) - THE BREITNER COMMANDO comes across at times like a political western.