April 30, 1962. The Algerian War has been over for two months, but Charles de Gaulle negotiated with the FLN during the Évian Accords to continue nuclear testing in the Sahara Desert. Under the eyes of officials gathered in an observation post located 5 km from the blast site, the Taourirt fissures, releasing a radioactive cloud: this will be known as the Béryl accident.
Direction
Sinapi builds dread through sterile military procedure.
Production
Period-perfect recreation of 1962 French colonial machinery.
Director
Jean-Pierre Sinapi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Béryl accident exposed 300+ soldiers to radiation; France classified files until 2013. Many victims never received compensation.
This TV movie aired on France 3 during a resurgence of Algerian War reckoning, part of France's slow, grudging confrontation with its colonial nuclear crimes.
FR
