WWII drama directed by Rachid Bouchareb, depicting the plight of the North African troops enlisted to fight in the French army between 1943 and 1945. Despite the fact that the four young Arabs around whom the story centres have, in effect, been called up by one colonial oppressor to fight another, they say goodbye to their families in Algeria, Morocco and Senegal and willingly step forward to take up their arms. But all find themselves shockingly discriminated against by bigots within the French army, and deprived of the few rights and privileges to which new recruits are entitled. Bouchareb's powerful and persuasive film was instrumental in French prime minister Jacques Chirac's decision to compensate all North Africans who fought in World War II by unfreezing their pensions.

French police drama. In Paris, within the space of a year, a gang of vicious armed robbers has committed seven violent robberies. Detectives Klein (Gerard Depardieu) and Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil), once close friends but now bitter professional rivals, are each heading up different departments and are charged with bringing the gang to justice. Whoever does so will become the new Chief of Police, but the competition forces the two men to gradually abandon their sense of duty, professionalism, and even morality, as they ruthlessly compete for the ultimate prize.

Three European dramas set in the Second World War. 'The Counterfeiters' (2007) is based on the true story of the largest counterfeiting operation in history, set up by the Nazis in 1936. Salomon 'Sally' Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics) is a womaniser who likes to drink and gamble. He also happens to be the best counterfeiter in Berlin. His luck runs out when he is arrested by Superintendent Friedrich Herzog (Devid Striesow). Immediately thrown into the Mauthausen concentration camp, Salomon's exceptional skills are soon noted and he is transferred to the upgraded camp of Sachsenhausen where Herzog, on a secret mission, awaits his arrival. Hand-picked for his unique talent, Salomon and a group of professionals are forced to produce fake foreign currency under the programme, Operation Berhard. The group of forgers, which also includes detainee Adolf Burger (August Diehl), is given luxury barracks for its assistance. However, Adolf refuses to use his skills to help the Nazis and wants to do something that will scupper their secret operation. Faced with a moral dilemma, Salomon must decide whether his actions, which could prolong the war and risk the lives of fellow prisoners, are ultimately the right ones. 'Days of Glory' (2007), directed by Rachid Bouchareb, depicts the plight of the North African troops enlisted to fight in the French army between 1943 and 1945. Despite the fact that the four young Arabs around whom the story centres have, in effect, been called up by one colonial oppressor to fight another, they say goodbye to their families in Algeria, Morocco and Senegal and willingly step forward to take up their arms. But all find themselves shockingly discriminated against by bigots within the French army, and deprived of the few rights and privileges to which new recruits are entitled. Bouchareb's powerful and persuasive film was instrumental in French prime minister Jacques Chirac's decision to compensate all North Africans who fought in World War II by unfreezing their pensions. The German drama 'North Face' (2008) is set in 1930s Germany just before the outbreak of war. Two German climbers attempt to scale the infamous North Face of the Eiger, aka 'Murder Wall' - the ultimate goal of every European mountaineer. Many have died in the attempt, but Toni Kurz (Benno Furmann) and Andi Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas) are convinced they will make it. Set against a backdrop of political instability and growing menace as the Nazis steadily gain power, the film juxtaposes nature at its harshest and most unforgiving with the complex - and often contradictory - nature of humanity.

Coming-of-age tale set in the civil war and famine of 1980s Ethiopia and in Tel Aviv, Israel. As thousands of displaced Africans crowd into Sudanese refugee camps, American and Israeli troops organise 'Operation Moses': a mission aimed at relocating the wandering Falashas, Ehtiopian Jews who claim direct lineage back to KIng Solomon's days and to Israel. Forced by his Christian mother to declare himself Jewish to escape starvation, young Solomon (Moshe Agazai) is swept away to Israel, where he is declared an orphan and adopted by a French family. There he begins a new life constantly fearing the discovery of a double lie: that he is neither orphaned nor Jewish. Now renamed Schlomo, Solomon does his best to adapt to his new surroundings as his presumed salvation slowly gives way to the inner decay of a fading identity. The film picked up three awards at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Rachid Bouchareb writes and directs this sequel to his 2007 political drama 'Days of Glory'. Set against the backdrop of the Algerian struggle for independence from France after the Second World War, the drama follows three brothers who become separated during the massacre at Setif. Messaoud (Roschdy Zem) joins the French army and goes off to fight in Indochina. Said (Jamel Debbouze) takes his mother to live in the shanty town at Pigalle in France, where he becomes a street hustler and boxing promoter. Meanwhile, resistance fighter Abdelkadan (Sami Bouajila) is imprisoned for his political beliefs. Eventually the brothers are reunited in Paris, where they find that freedom is still something they all have to fight for.