Abou Leila
Spring Grants 2017
Amin Sidi-Boumédiène / Feature Narrative / Algeria, France, Qatar / 2018 / 120 min / Interests: Drama, Thriller, Road Trip
Synopsis
Algeria, 1994. Terrorist attacks have ravaged the north of the country for the past two years. Childhood friends S. and Lotfi travel through the Algerian desert looking for Abou Leila, a dangerous terrorist on the run. Their search seems absurd, given that the Sahara has not been affected by the wave of murders and bomb attacks that have been sweeping through the rest of the country. Lofti has only one priority: to keep S. as far from the capital as possible, knowing his friend is too fragile to face more bloodshed. As they approach the supposed hideout of Abou Leila, they learn of the mysterious plight in a nearby village, where three youths have been killed under terrible and suspicious circumstances.
The Touareg inhabitants of the village believe the killer is a “djinna”, a desert spirit that ceaselessly roams the dunes. To S., the demon is Abou Leila.
Credits
- Director
- Amin Sidi-Boumédiène
- Screenwriter
- Amin Sidi-Boumédiène
- Producer
- Fayçal Hammoum
- Production Company
- Thala Films
About the Director
Born in 1982, Amin Sidi-Boumédiène graduated in 2005 in directing from the Parisian CLCF school. His first short film, 'Tomorrow, Algiers?', was selected at numerous festivals. 'The Island', his second short, won the prize for Best Film at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. He directed his third short 'Serial K.' in 2014, which screened at the Journées Cinématographiques of Béjaia. His first feature film, 'Abou Leila', shot in Algeria, was selected for Cannes’ Critics Week in 2019. Amin is currently in pre-production of his second feature film, 'The Last Days of R.M.'.
Awards and Festival History
Festivals
"Semaine de la Critique, Festival de Cannes 2019 (WP)
Sarajevo FF 2019
New Horizons IFF 2019
Entrevues Belfort IFF 2019
Cairo IFF 2019
Cinema Mediterraneen de Bruxelles 2019
Marrakech IFF 2019
Amman IFF 2020 (1st edition)"
"Prix de la Critique, CINEMED 2019
Best Actor (Lyes Salem), JCC 2019"