Algerian Radio
A total of 50 films, including feature-length, short, and documentary productions, will compete in the official selection of the 12th edition of Algeria’s International Film Festival, scheduled to take place from December 4 to 10, with Cuba participating as the guest of honor, festival organizers announced this Saturday in Algiers.
During a press conference, the organizers revealed that 50 films from Algeria and 28 other countries were selected to compete in the official lineup, including 16 feature films, 14 documentaries, and 20 short films. In addition, 51 films will be screened out of competition, among them six from Cuba, eight from Palestine, 22 under the “Algerian Cinema Panorama,” and ten within the “Global South Panorama.”
Sixteen films will compete in the feature-length film category, including six from Algeria, such as "Ruqayya" by Yanis Kosem and "Algeria’s Lovers" by Mohamed Charafeddine Guitita, alongside international entries including "After the End" by Pablo César (Argentina), "The Golden Man" by Tordibek Maidan (Kazakhstan), and "Passing Dreams" by Rachid Masharawi (Palestine).
The short film competition will feature 20 films, including nine from Algeria, among them "Positive Result" by Nidal Mellouhi, as well as foreign entries such as "The Black Scarf " by Ali Reza Shah Hosseini (Iran), Dissonance by "Raquel Larroza" (Spain), and "My Grandmother’s Secret" by Norhan Abdel Salam (Egypt).
In the documentary category, 14 films will compete, including four from Algeria, among them "Aknaou" by Houria Hamadouche and "Return to the City" by Jamal Lekhal, alongside international productions such as "HAIYO: The Rebel Singer" (Western Sahara/Sweden), "A Sami's Song for Survival" by Yara Lee (USA), and "Nankawazo" by Jorge Fuentes (Cuba).
In this context, the festival director, Mehdi Ben Issa, explained that Cuba’s selection as the guest of honor for this edition “reflects a deep historical and cultural connection between Algeria and Cuba,” adding that Cuban films will be screened in partnership with the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Arts and Industry, featuring works that combine political and aesthetic dimensions.
The director also noted that the festival awards, in each section of the official competition, the Grand Prize, the Jury Prize, the Audience Award, the Technical Innovation Award, and special mentions. He pointed out that the “Technical Innovation Award” is being presented for the first time by a dedicated “Technical Jury” chaired by director Rachid Ben Allal.
Outside the official competitions, the festival — according to the same speaker — has dedicated a section titled “Open Doors to Palestine” celebrating Palestinian cinema, which will showcase eight award-winning Palestinian films. Similarly, the “Algerian Cinema Panorama” will screen 22 films by Algerian directors from different generations, while the “Global South Panorama” will present ten films from countries of the Global South.
The director also highlighted that, for the first time, the “Algiers International Film Festival Market” will be held, providing a space for “professional exchange and development,” including a dedicated showcase of ten projects aimed at fostering collaboration among cinema and audiovisual industry stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the festival’s artistic director, Nabila Rezaig, announced that Algerian director Karim Traidia has been chosen to chair the jury for the feature-length films, German filmmaker Monika Maurer will head the documentary jury, and Lebanese director Hoda Ibrahim will preside over the short film jury. She highlighted that the festival’s opening at the National Algerian Theatre will feature the restored version of "Ghatasso of the Desert" (1952) by the late Algerian director Tahar Hennache, while the closing ceremony will screen "The Voice of Hind Rajab" by Tunisian director Kawthar Ben Hania.
Rezaig also noted that this edition will honor numerous figures from the arts and cinema, including the late actress Baya Bouzar, known as “Biyouna” who passed away last Tuesday, filmmaker Zahira Yahi, Cuban director Lisette Villa, German director Monika Maurer, director Tawfiq Farès, American writer Allen Mukhtafi, and actor Saleh Oukrout.
In addition to film screenings, organized across five cinemas in the capital, including Ibn Zaidoun, Riyadh El Fath, Cinémathèque d’Alger, and the Municipal Theatre Hall (formerly the Casino), the new edition of the festival will host other activities, including the “Ciné Lab”, a workshop offering training for students in areas such as sound effects, screenwriting, and more, under the guidance of experienced directors and industry professionals.
