Director of controversial film on Algeria urges calm before Cannes screening

Director of Algeria film urges calm at Cannes

CANNES, France — A director is trying to calm a controversy that has erupted over his film about three Algerian-born brothers before its screening at the Cannes Film Festival.

Rachid Bouchareb’s movie “Hors la Loi,” or “Outside the Law,” is partly set during Algeria’s bloody struggle for independence from France. The country’s colonial period still remains a touchy subject in France.

Conservative lawmaker Lionnel Luca has denounced the film as anti-French, and some veterans groups and others have also criticized it.

Bouchareb said Thursday that “people taking part in this debate have not seen the film.”

The movie is among the 19 films competing for Cannes’ top prize and is slated to premiere at the French Riviera festival May 21.