Roqia
Qumra Projects
Yanis Koussim / Feature Narrative / Algeria, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar
In Arabic
Genres: Horror, Drama, Thriller
Rated: This film has not been rated.
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Synopsis
In 1993, after a car crash leaves Ahmed with amnesia, he returns to his village, where nothing seems familiar to him—not his wife nor his children. His youngest child, unsettled by Ahmed’s fully bandaged face, harbours a deep fear of him. Mysterious visitors torment Ahmed nightly, whispering litanies in an incomprehensible language. Who are these strange visitors? Why is the index finger of his right hand severed? And why does his supposed friend, the neighbour, make him uncomfortable?
In the present day, an ageing Raqi (a Muslim exorcist) struggles with Alzheimer’s. His forgetfulness and erratic behaviour worry his disciple, especially as the Raqi’s right hand—the one missing an index finger—trembles ominously. With a surge in extreme violence in the city and the possessed speaking an unknown language, the disciple fears the worst. While Ahmed, in the past, fears recovering his memory—the Raqi’s disciple in the present fears that his master’s decline will unleash an ancient evil.
About the Director
During his law studies, Yanis Koussim decided to pursue a career in filmmaking. After graduating and a brief period at La Fémis, he directed several notable films, including ‘Le Plus Beau de Tous les Tangos du Monde’, ‘Khti’, and ‘Khouya’. ‘Khouya’ received accolades at Locarno, Amiens, and Corte, and was selected for the International Short Film Festival of Clermont-Ferrand. Yanis also contributed to the documentary ‘Un Été à Alger’, which premiered at Le Palais de Tokyo in Paris. A talented screenwriter, he wrote all his films and collaborated on the scripts of ‘À Mon Âge Je Me Cache Encore Pour Fumer’ by Rayhana Obermayer and‘Algérie Mon Amour’ by Lotfi Bouchouchi. In 2024, he co-wrote the feature of Adila Bendimerad and Damien Ounouri, 'El Zahia'. Based between Algiers and Sétif, he founded Plateau19, a collective supporting independent cinema in Algeria, and is currently working on several feature films and visual art projects.
Credits
- Director
- Yanis Koussim
- Screenwriter
- Yanis Koussim
- Producer
- Fares Ladjimi
- Production Company
- Supernova Films