New documentary uncovers France's "willful amnesia" about its colonial legacy in Algeria

A new documentary called “Magma” delves into France's uncomfortable reckoning with its colonial past in Algeria. Co-produced by Oscar-nominated producer Kira Simon-Kennedy and directed by French Algerian filmmaker Mia Bendrimia, the film offers an intimate exploration of family secrets and national memory. It’s set to premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, as reported by Variety.

The documentary follows Bendrimia’s first journey to Algeria, where she seeks to uncover the hidden truths surrounding her family’s history — particularly her grandfather’s complex and painful legacy.

Bendrimia, raised in France, explains that Algeria was a forbidden topic in her household. Her quest reveals that this silence stemmed from her grandfather’s identity as a "harki" — an Algerian Muslim who sided with the French army during Algeria’s war of independence (1954–1962). Harkis were widely seen as traitors by Algerians and were later abandoned by France, with many imprisoned in detention camps.

“Even though the war ended over 50 years ago, the wounds still feel raw,” Bendrimia told Variety. “It took years for my family to open up about what really happened.”

She argues that her family’s silence mirrors a broader societal pattern in France — one of deliberate forgetfulness about its colonial past.

“What happened in my family reflects what’s happening in France: this willful amnesia, this erasure of the past,” she told Variety. “The film is both a personal journey and, hopefully, a guide for others who want to explore their own hidden histories.”

The documentary's release is especially timely, coinciding with growing debates in France about its role and actions during the Algerian war — a dialogue that Magma hopes to deepen and humanize.