Intimate Enemies

Picture and sound transfer are excellent and the extras on the two-disc version are VERY extensive – several hours of stuff but all well made and interesting. There’s no commentary, but instead a nearly feature-length discussion between the director and critic/historian Jean-Baptiste Thoret tackles virtually every aspect of the film. Definitely worth a look, but only after the film itself as (once again) there are spoilers which the makers don’t bother to flag up.

There are also interviews with Rotman (who developed the film from an earlier documentary about the Algerian war), Desplat, Coltellacci and virtually all the cast and crew. A separate featurette goes into the military training the young actors underwent at the hands of the Moroccan army and another has Algerian veterans giving moving testimonies about the atrocities they witnessed – and sometimes performed. It shows that the film’s more harrowing scenes are in no way exaggerated – and emphasises the guilt that many in France still feel when talking about a brutal and bloody ‘police action’ that has only recently been officially recognised for what it truly was – a war. Storyboards, photo galleries and trailers round off the package – a very impressive one and good value for money. But if you’re looking to work your way through ALL the extras, be sure to take a packed lunch.