Days of Glory (Indigènes) (2006)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio-12 Chapter Selections Featurette-Making Of-French with Optional English Subtitles (24:30) Theatrical Trailer-(1:48) Theatrical Trailer-Kokoda (2006) (2:37) Theatrical Trailer-Angel-A (2005) (1:56) Theatrical Trailer-OSS 117: Le Caire nid d'espions (2006) (1:49) Theatrical Trailer-As it is in Heaven (Så som i himmelen) (2004) (1:42)
Rating
Year Of Production	2006
Running Time	118:43 (Case: 120)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	Rachid Bouchareb
Studio Distributor	Tessalit Productions Madman Entertainment	Starring	Jamel Debbouze Samy Naceri Roschdy Zem Sami Bouajila Bernard Blancan Mathieu Simonet Assaad Bouab Benoît Giros Mélanie Laurent Antoine Chappey Aurélie Eltvedt Thomas Langmann
Case	Amaray-Transparent
RPI	$24.95	Music	Armand Amar Cheb Khaled

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	French Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s) French Dolby Digital 2.0 (256Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English (Burned In)	Smoking	Yes
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

Since its release, Michael Haneke's Caché has inspired a number of European films which have explored the current social tensions in France, by looking at the country's colonial past and the scars the conflict left on modern French and Algerian society. Noted films include the celebrated television film Nuit noire, 17 octobre 1961 (2005) which like Caché focused on the Paris Massacre of 1961, the Algerian War drama Mon colonel (2006) and La battaglia di Algeri (1961), which was previously banned in France, and theatrically re-released in 2004.

However French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb's Academy Award nominated Indigènes, depicted another somewhat forgotten injustice - the discriminatory treatment of some 233,000 indigènes - men from Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Mali and Madagascar, who volunteered to enlist in the French First Army of the Free French Forces and were sent to the frontline to help liberate the 'motherland.' However modern history and the French state neglected these forgotten heroes, as in 1959 France froze the pensions of the troops from the colonies, as punishment for their countries' fight for liberation. Bouchareb's Indigènes reignited the debate and the film successfully changed government policy and allowed the indigènes veterans the same pension benefits as the French veterans.

The English translation of the film's title 'Days of Glory' is somewhat dishonest, as the literal translation is 'Natives,' as the film focuses on four Indigènes in a mobile corps:

• Saïd Otmari (Jamel Debbouze) is a young Algerian villager who farewells his mother and walks directly onto the battlefield and finds himself completely out of his depth.
• Moroccan Yassir (Samy Naceri) claims he only enlisted in an attempt to escape economic hardship, but he actually joined to protect his young brother Larbi (Assaad Bouab) who has also volunteered.
• Messaoud Souni (Roschdy Zem) is an excellent marksman, who falls in love with a young French women, however his love letters are intercepted by the military and subsequently censored.
• Algerian Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila) is highly educated and a born leader. Abdelkader is also the most outspoken of the indigènes, often confronting Sergeant Roger Martinez (Bernard Blancan) when discriminations occur, demanding why the indigènes are denied the 'liberty, equality, and fraternity' France promised them. And while Sergeant Martinez, a Frenchman born in North Africa, may protect and defend 'the army of Africa', he still reinforces prejudice. Furthermore Sergeant Martinez mocks Saïd, by having the young soldier complete a number of humiliating tasks for him.

Rachid Bouchareb's film may at times be heavy-handed, but it is in the details where the film remains powerful (such as the indigènes walking in the midst of winter in sandals, having being denied regulation boots), as this story of the forgotten soldiers always remains engaging. The stellar cast were rightfully awarded the Best Actor award (as a collective Male Ensemble Cast) at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Also Bouchareb received the François Chalais Award for his brave efforts of bringing the story of his forefathers to the screen. Indigènes, remains an important document about a moment in history, which may not be honourable, but what remains remarkable is how Rachid Bouchareb and his impressive cast (who are also producers), fearlessly made an effort to change the errors of the past, and acknowledge a historical injustice and effectively influence government change.

Video

Indigènes features some incredible aerial shots (which at first appear in black and white, then in colour as the clouds move) and lush cinematography by Patrick Blossier.

Presented in it's original aspect ratio 2.35:1 16x9 enhanced widescreen, the look of the film features mild grain and a desaturated colour palette.

Skin tones are well represented and black levels are bold. The picture remains sharp and consistent and there is no evidence of MPEG compression artefacts or edge enhancement.

All round this is a consistent transfer which has been encoded on a dual layer DVD.

The subtitles for the French/Arabic dialogue are burnt onto the print, in a clear white Arial font.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

There are two audio soundtracks available of this DVD: A French/Arabic 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack and a French/Arabic 2.0 Dolby Digital stereo soundtrack.

Both soundtracks remain error free and dialogue remains clear and audible. The soundtrack is mostly dialogue orientated, with bursts of brief combat action scenes.

During the scenes of combat, the soundtrack is encompassing with adequate bass response. Channel separation is also quite good exhibiting range and depth.

The film features Le lac des cygnes by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and La Marseillaise written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle.

The orchestral score, is fused with traditional wood and string instruments from the Middle East and North Africa, was composed by Armand Amar and features the voice of internationally renowned Algerian singer Khaled.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Main Menu Audio

The Main Menu is a still of the cover-art, accompanied by a section of the soundtrack.

The Making of Days of Glory

This standard EPK features extensive interviews with the cast and crew explaining the importance and thematic concerns of the film. Also there is some behind the scenes footage of the cast training and filming in Morocco. The featurette explores the formation of the script and cast and the importance of the Government of Morocco who supported the production of the film. The featurette is presented in the original French language with optional English subtitles, which should automatically appear. (23:30)

French Theatrical Trailer (1:48)

Madman Propaganda

Following an anti-piracy warning focusing on Kenny (2006) the following Madman trailers are accessible:

• Kokoda (2006) (2:37)

• Angel-A (2005) (1:56)

• OSS 117: Le Caire nid d'espions (2006) (1:49)

• As it is in Heaven (Så som i himmelen) (2004) (1:42)

The R2 CE France (TF1 Video) PAL 2 Disc Set features the following additional technical specifications and extra feature content:

• French DTS 5.1

• French audio-descriptive soundtrack (Dolby Digital 2.0)

• French Hard of Hearing subtitles

• Documentary: Sur les traces (55:54)

• Documentary: Autour des indigènes (34:07)

• Documentary: Jamel, Rachid, Roshdy, Samy ... Petits fils de tirailleurs (63:27)

• Booklet

• Weblinks
  

Note: There are no English subtitles on this release.

The R2 SE Spain (Magnafilms) PAL 2 Disc Set features the following additional technical specifications and extra feature content:

• Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1

• Catalan Dolby Digital 5.1

• Catalan and Spanish subtitles

• Documentary: Sur les traces (55:54)

• Documentary: Autour des indigènes (34:07)

• Documentary: Jamel, Rachid, Roshdy, Samy ... Petits fils de tirailleurs (63:27)

• Short Film: The Colonial Friend by Rachid Bouchareb (8:46)

• Theatrical Teaser

• TV Spot

• Filmographies

• Awards List

Note: There are no English subtitles on this release.

The R1 America (Genius Products) NTSC Single Disc release features the following additional technical specifications and extra feature content:

• Spanish Subtitles

• Short Film: The Colonial Friend by Rachid Bouchareb (8:46)

• Bonus Trailers for other Genius Products releases: Thetruth.com, After the Wedding, Nomad the Warrior, Hannibal Rising and Bobby.

Indigènes remains an important document about a moment in history, which may not be honourable, but what remains remarkable is how Rachid Bouchareb and his impressive cast (who are also producers), fearlessly made an effort to change the errors of the past, and acknowledge a historical injustice and effectively influence government change. All round the transfer is consistent and the soundtracks remain error free. The extra features are minimal but informative. It is a shame the local release misses out on the short film The Colonial Friend by Rachid Bouchareb.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall