INTIMATE ENEMIES
aka L'ENNEMI INTIME

Year: 2007
UK: Contender Entertainment Group
Cast: Benoît Magimel, Albert Dupontel, Aurelien Recoing, Marc Barbe, Eric Savin, Fellag, Lounes Tazairt, Abdelhafid Metalsi, Vincent Rottiers, Lounes Machene, Adrien Saint-Jore, Guillaume Gouix, Ange Ruze
Director: Florent-Emilio Siri
Country: France
Language: French (English subtitles)
UK: 110 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language, violence and torture
UK Release Date: 25 January 2008 (Limited Release - London)

Synopsis

Inspired by Patrick Rotman's book and subsequent documentary concerning the personal and psychological effects of the 1954-62 Algerian War of Independence on the soldiers involved in the conflict, INTIMATE ENEMIES is an uncompromising and brutally realistic war movie dramatizing the experiences of a platoon of French soldiers fighting the 'fellaghas' of Algeria's National Liberation Front in the country's remote mountain region.

Directed by Florent Emilio Siri (director of the critically acclaimed action thrillers HOSTAGE, starring Bruce Willis, and THE NEST), and co-written by Siri and Rotman, the film stars award-winning French actor Benoît Magimel (THE PIANO TEACHER) and three-time Cesar nominee Albert Dupontel (A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT).

Assigned to lead a battalion of French soldiers following the friendly-fire killing of his predecessor, the highly principled but naïve Lieutenant Terrien (Benoît Magimel) is determined to wage war in the most morally sound and humanistic way he can. But his approach is viewed with scorn by many of those under his command, in particular the battle-hardened Sergeant Dougnac (Albert Dupontel). A veteran of the Indochina War, Dougnac is not averse to resorting to torture and barbarism when it comes to dealing with insurgents. As a series of violent skirmishes takes a devastating toll on Terrien's men, and the savagery of the enemy becomes apparent, the idealist Lieutenant is forced to re-evaluate his stance, even if it means compromising his beliefs.