Longe dos Homens

"Far From Men" is a very nice film based on Albert Camus' 1957 short story "The Guest." The movie excellently captures the conflicts inherent in colonial Algeria. It is well worth watching.

The story is set in 1954, just as the Algerian independence struggle is beginning. The two main characters are a well-meaning teacher, an Algerian of European descent for whom French Algeria is his native land (played by Viggo Mortensen), and an Arab Algerian living in a traditional tribal society (played by Reda Ketab). The Arab has murdered a cousin for theft. The teacher, contrary to his wishes, is tasked to escort the Arab to the police. Their tale plays out among colonialist French Algerian vigilantes, a band of FLN fighters, a troop of French soldiers, and some Algerian European colonial civilians.

The film happens against the background of the nascent independence struggle. It shows people's moral conflicts and critical, often life and death, decisions. It nicely depicts how colonialism affects everyone living in Algeria, even those who would prefer not to take sides.

The cinematography superbly captures the incredible harsh beauty of the arid, barren Atlas mountain landscape as well as the appalling living conditions of the Arab Algerians. Seeing this film, I felt that I really was in impoverished rural colonial Algeria.

Two important points worth noting for those familiar with "The Guest": (1) While most of the events and secondary characters in the movie are spot on depictions of the 1954 Algerian context, they are not in Camus' original story, and (2) The film's ending differs from that of Camus' short story.

Still, again, I recommend this film.