During the Algerian war, Bruno deserts to Geneva and joins a far-right terrorist group, who soon order him to kill the leftist radio commentator Palivoda. However, when he meets Véronica, who is involved in a left-wing activist group, he falls in love and decides to flee to Brazil with her.
Shot right after Breathless, Godard’s strangely humorous sophomore feature concerning the Algerian War—his first foray into political filmmaking—was banned for a whole three years. Le petit soldat also marks his first collaboration with the late Anna Karina: here’s to her indelible screen presence.