Serious in intent, but melodramatic in style, the patriotic historical saga “Heliopolis” directed by Djaffar Gacem neatly uses the alliances of a fictional Muslim family to explicate events leading up to the brutal killings of indigenous Algerian civilians and the summary execution of native political leaders by French settler militias and soldiers in 1945. Algeria’s submission for the international feature Oscar is highly effective in showing the tensions between those who believed indigenous Algerians and French colonists would someday be treated equally under the French flag and those who pushed for the country’s independence. It also clearly presents the growing strain between the colonized and the colonists, albeit with a lot less subtlety.
In 1940, the Muslim Zenati family operates a successful wheat farming estate in Heliopolis that is the envy of the French colonial farmers in the Guelma district. Wary patriarch Mokdad, a widower and WWI French army veteran,...
In 1940, the Muslim Zenati family operates a successful wheat farming estate in Heliopolis that is the envy of the French colonial farmers in the Guelma district. Wary patriarch Mokdad, a widower and WWI French army veteran,...
- 11/17/2021
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Algeria is the first out of the gate in the race for the 2020 Oscars, naming Mounia Meddour's Papicha its official contender for the best international film category.
Set in the 1990s, Papicha stars Lyna Khoudri as Nedjma, a fashion-obsessed young woman who, together with her girlfriend, Wassila (Shirine Boutella), makes money selling garments they've made made in the bathroom of local dance club to the "papichas," or pretty girls. Like the rest of the country, they will soon be caught up in Algeria's bloody civil war. But the pair continue to fight for their freedom, and ...
Set in the 1990s, Papicha stars Lyna Khoudri as Nedjma, a fashion-obsessed young woman who, together with her girlfriend, Wassila (Shirine Boutella), makes money selling garments they've made made in the bathroom of local dance club to the "papichas," or pretty girls. Like the rest of the country, they will soon be caught up in Algeria's bloody civil war. But the pair continue to fight for their freedom, and ...
- 7/15/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Algeria is the first out of the gate in the race for the 2020 Oscars, naming Mounia Meddour's Papicha its official contender for the best international film category.
Set in the 1990s, Papicha stars Lyna Khoudri as Nedjma, a fashion-obsessed young woman who, together with her girlfriend, Wassila (Shirine Boutella), makes money selling garments they've made made in the bathroom of local dance club to the "papichas," or pretty girls. Like the rest of the country, they will soon be caught up in Algeria's bloody civil war. But the pair continue to fight for their freedom, and ...
Set in the 1990s, Papicha stars Lyna Khoudri as Nedjma, a fashion-obsessed young woman who, together with her girlfriend, Wassila (Shirine Boutella), makes money selling garments they've made made in the bathroom of local dance club to the "papichas," or pretty girls. Like the rest of the country, they will soon be caught up in Algeria's bloody civil war. But the pair continue to fight for their freedom, and ...
- 7/15/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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