São Paulo – The Algerian Film Week, organized by the Algerian Embassy to Brazil to mark the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence, celebrated last Thursday, will start this Friday (6th), in Brasília. The event will continue until July 12th with two daily screenings, at 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm, at the Claudio Santoro National Theatre.
The festival includes six titles focusing on the Algerian independence war, a conflict which lasted from 1954 to 1962 and put an end to 132 years of French rule.
“The festival features seven films, six of which are about the Algerian struggle against French colonialism, and a lighter one for the people to have fun,” says Abdel Hamid Rahmani, the minister-counsellor to the Algerian embassy. “One of the films, ‘Mostefa Ben Boulaid,’ tells the story of one of the national heroes of the revolution, but we had many,” he says.
On Thursday, as part of the celebrations, a seminar was held at the University of Brasília featuring four lecturers, including the Algerian ambassador Djemel Eddine Bennaoum. “The ambassador spoke on the beginning of colonialism and the independence process. He also discussed Algeria-Brazil relations. Brazil was one of the first countries to recognize our independence and establish an embassy in Algiers,” says Rahmani.
“It was an informative event for students and laymen,” says Michel Alaby, the CEO of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, who attended the event. “I believe this event must be replicated at other universities,” he says. After the seminar, a book and picture themed after the Algerian independence was held.
“Independence brings the word ‘freedom’ to mind,” says Rahmani. “Particularly to us, Algerians, it holds a special meaning. We had one of the worst instances of colonialism in the world. We lost 1.5 million Algerians. We were not even allowed to speak our own language. The Europeans had more rights than the Algerians. We had seven years of war, and then finally we were able to live in peace,” he says.
Officially, the independence of Algeria was declared on July 3rd, 1962, but the Algerians chose to celebrate it on July 5th, a date which already had historical relevance in the country.
See below the full schedule for the Algerian Film Week:
Friday, July 6th
3:00 pm – The Epic Story of Sheikh Bouamama
6:00 pm – Mostefa Ben Boulaid
Saturday, July 7th
15h – The Battle of Algiers
18h – The Opium and the Stick
Sunday, July 8th
3:00 pm – Outside the Law
6:00 pm – Mascarades
Monday, July 9th
3:00 pm – Chronicle of the Years of Fire
6:00 pm – Outside the Law
Tuesday, July 10th
3:00 pm – Mostefa Ben Boulaid
6:00 pm – The Opium and the Stick
Wednesday, July 11
3:00 pm – Mascarades
6:00 pm – The Battle of Algiers
Thursday, July 12
3:00 pm – Mostefa Ben Boulaid
6:00 pm – The Epic Story of Sheikh Bouamama
Service
Algerian Film Week
July 6th to 12th, 2012
Place: Claudio Santoro National Theatre – Alberto Nepomuceno Room
Address: Setor Cultural Norte Via N 2 – in front of Conjunto Nacional de Brasília
Admittance free
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
