A historically unorthodox portrayal of the 1945 Sétif massacre sparked a political controversy in France . Reviews of the film compared it to Westerns and gangster films , and critics observed how the independence activists were likened to the French Resistance during World War II . '' Outside the Law '' represented Algeria at the 83rd Academy Awards , where it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film
Sétif massacre
Sétif and Guelma massacre
Outside the Law (2010 film)