“I think that they participated in something that was not very proper and was very pitiful, not only for the Algerian people, but also for the other people who counted on our support.”

It is obvious that taking the country from a state of war to being a lawful state won’t be easy.

I am not a Marxist, but I place myself resolutely at the left.

My life has been a bit special, this is true. I participated in the liberation of my country.

These are the multinationals, like General Motors and Nestle; these are the big industrial groups that weigh, on the monetary scale, much more than big countries like Egypt.

Let us all agree to die a little, or even completely so that African unity may not be a vain word

We trained them, we arranged for the weapons to reach them, we created networks.

Colonialism is known in its primitive form, that is to say, by the permanent settling of repressive foreign powers, with an army, services, policies.

In two years, there were 22 military coups d’etat, essentially in Africa and the third world. The coup d’etat of Algiers, in 1965, is what opened the path.

Algeria was therefore only the beginning of something that was in development: this is why I say that it’s the global capitalist system that finally reacted against us.

I can say now: all the combatants who participated in the fight for freedom in South America came to Algeria; it’s from there that all those who fought left.

At that precise moment, several countries were still colonised or had barely overcome colonisation. This was the case in practically all of Africa. We supported them.

We were but some tens of people throughout Algeria, a territory that is five times the size of France

Those who are leftists, once in power, are not different from other parties.

Everywhere that the struggle for national freedom has triumphed, once the authorities agreed, there were military coups d’etat that overthrew their leaders. That is the result time and time again.

Peace does not include a vendetta; there will be neither winners nor losers.

Algeria is not breaking up.

I went to the front, but I never participated in the war itself.

Maybe [success] is because I’m in China and I’m more open. Maybe it’s my independent behavior, or because I participated in certain projects. I have no idea.

My life has been a bit special, this is true. I participated in the liberation of my country.

I can say now: all the combatants who participated in the fight for freedom in South America came to Algeria; it’s from there that all those who fought left.

I was one of the organisers of its struggle for liberation. I likewise actively participated in all the struggles for liberation.

We’re all part of the story; we can all contribute and participate.

We have to act united as a people, and that means that every individual has to participate and do their part.

I’m a filmmaker, I’m a storyteller, an entertainer, if you will, so what can I do to participate?