BAB EL-OUED CITY

Merzak ALLOUACHE

1994
Un Certain Regard

International Critic's Prize by the F.I.P.R.E.S.C.I. (Ex-aequo) 1994

Bab el-Oued is working class district of Algiers, shortly after the bloody riots of October 1988. Boualem is a young worker in the district bakery. He works hard at night and sleeps during the day. One morning, he commits a “foolish” act which puts the entire district in turmoil. A group of young extremists headed by Saïd, sets out in the search of the culprit of this “provocative” act with the intention of making an example by punishing him. Violence settles in and quickly develops when Yamina, Saïd’s younger sister, is caught while meeting Boualem, with whom she is secretly in love.

Directed by : Merzak ALLOUACHE
Country: Algeria, France
Duration: 93 minutes