Algerian Radio
The feature film "Hadda" by director Ahmed Riad, highlighting the sacrifice and struggle of nurses during the National Liberation War, was premiered on Saturday evening in Algiers before a large audience.
Screened at the Ibn Zeydoun Hall, this 76-minute feature, produced by "Tayda Films" with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Arts, pays tribute to the struggle of female nurses, heroines who often operated in the shadows during the War of Liberation (1954-1962).
Performed by a cast including Hamid Mesbah, Louisa Nehar, and Hamza Hamoudi, the film tells the story of Hadda, the lead character portrayed by Lydia Larini. The screenplay, written by Hayat Younsi, is inspired by "Six Years in the Maquis" (1956-1962), a testimony by Yamina Cherrad Bennaceur, a survivor from the first promotion of nurses to join the struggle in the mountains.
Filmed primarily in the Wilayas of Constantine and Skikda, the story unfolds in the heart of the mountains where Hadda chooses to live in an abandoned cabin, transforming it into a refuge to treat wounded moudjahidines. In addition to providing medical care, she conducts first aid training for young women and ensures liaison between the villages and the combat fronts.
Doubly committed to the national cause and humanitarian duty, these nurses conducted their struggle with the utmost discretion, essential for the success of their missions and the safety of both the caregivers and the wounded.
The director noted that "Hadda," his first feature fiction film, relies on an "entertaining artistic approach" to recount significant events of Algeria's history through historical fiction.
Awarded at the 12th Algiers International Film Festival (AIFF, December 4-10, 2025), "Hadda" was warmly received by the public and is set for general release in Algerian cinemas starting April 10, according to the director.
Following the screening, the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Culture and Arts, Ms. Nacira Ayaïchia, representing the Minister of Culture and Arts, paid tribute to the moudjahida Yamina Cherrad Bennaceur, aged 90, who was present at the premiere of the film retracing her journey as a nurse during the liberation struggle.
