El Gouna Film Festival

Director

Mohammed Zinet

Mohamed Zinet is a renowned Algerian filmmaker whose legacy continues to inspire and challenge audiences around the world. Earlier in his career, he worked as assistant director with some of Europe’s greatest filmmakers, including: Pontecorvo and Ennio Lorenzini. He also appeared in several short films, including Sarah Maldoror's award-winning film Monangambé. Zinet's Tahia Ya Didou is a powerful and moving portrait of a nation in search of its identity. Zinet continued to act and direct throughout his career, appearing in films by such directors as René Vautier and Abdellatif Ben Ammar.

TAHIA YA DIDOU!(1971)

(1971)

Special Presentations, Algeria, Arabic - 76 min

Director

Mohammed Zinet

Algeria | 1971 | 76 min | Arabic

Producer
Production Company Larbi Chenit
Screenplay Himoud Brahimi، Muhammad Zinat
Cinematography Ali Marok, Bruno Muel, Pierre Clément
Editing Noun Serra, Monique Cementi
Sound
Cast Georges Arnaud, Himmoud Brahimi, André Moreau, Suzie Nacer, Muhammad Zinat
Contacts
Cinémathèque Algérienne, cinemathequealgerienne@gmail.com

About the Film

In Algeria, 53 years ago, the Algerian film Tahia Ya Didou by the late Mohamed Zinet was first released. The film's boldness in its approach and its satirical spirit of reality were the reasons for the absence of this work and its director, both in Algeria and abroad, from Arab and international cinema screens.

The film project was born from a request by the municipality of Algiers for a 20-minute promotional film for the city. Zinet, who was entrusted with the task, seized the opportunity to embark on a cinematic adventure. After months of secrecy and deception, the "surprise" came at the film's premiere.

Tahia Ya Didou is a work that blends archival footage and imaginary scenes. It begins with a French couple's trip to the city to explore its landmarks. In a chance encounter at a local café, the husband recognizes an Algerian man whom he once tortured during the Algerian War. This is where Zinet's journey to proclaim his love for Algiers and its role in the fight against colonialism begins.

Mohammed Zinet, in his only cinematic experience as a director, draws us into intertwined worlds that resemble him and translate his passion, happiness, and his pains. From the colonial era, where he was an officer in the National Liberation Army, to the bitterness of post-independence Algeria, where Zinet dreamed of fulfilling his passion for acting, theater, and cinema directing. Zinet never gave up and used his wit and talent to create a harmony of forms between comedy, political tragedy, and the tragic memories of the country's painful past, in poetic language and a striking cinematic experiment.

His knowledge of international films and his studies on theatre in Germany, in Germany, refined his vision and experience in dealing with the dramatic and visual elements of the film. In this film, Zinet uses a variety of Algerian cultural elements to enhance the value of this work, which is both joyful, harsh, and respectful. It will remain an exceptional work in the history of Algerian cinema.

Nabil Hadji

TAHIA YA DIDOU! (1971)

(1971)

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About the Film

Director

Mohammed Zinet

TAHIA YA DIDOU!(1971)

(1971)

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