The Setif Massacres, a certain May 8, 1945

On May 8, 1945, while Europe marked victory over Nazism, Algerians turned the day into a political moment, waving national flags and demanding recognition. In Algiers people displayed the Algerian flag; in Sétif a procession collapsed into violence after a flag bearer was shot, sparking clashes. The colonial response was swift and brutal, spreading across Constantine and resulting in large numbers of civilian deaths. Official inquiries never produced clear conclusions and a later amnesty law obscured many documents. Decades later the filmmakers reopen the file, interviewing witnesses, tracing official records and local archives.

Released in 1995, the documentary was directed by Medhi Lallaoui and Bernard Langlois, with Langlois narrating. It relies on archival footage and interviews to examine the May 8 events from both local and colonial records. It premiered at film festivals.

It had a limited theatrical presence, shown mostly at film festivals, university screenings and cultural programs. Commercial box office totals aren't widely reported, and the film's reach has been mainly educational and archival rather than financial. It remains primarily noncommercial.

By restoring testimony and uncovering administrative records, the film contributed to renewed discussion in both Algeria and France about the Sétif killings. Screenings have provoked debate in classrooms and community centers, helping to keep questions of state responsibility and historical silence on the public agenda, and encouraged further archival research.

Scholars and reviewers noted the film's detailed archival work and the prominence of survivor voices, highlighting themes of colonial violence, impunity and memory. It favors a documentary, evidence-based approach and has been used in historical coursework and discussions about how amnesty and official silence affect collective remembrance, and ongoing study.