Nardjes A.

On his first trip to Algeria in the spring of 2019, filmmaker and Berlinale regular Karim Aïnouz experiences at first hand the protests against President Bouteflika’s fifth term of office. He quickly abandons his plan to make a film about his father’s home country and opts instead to document the ongoing, non-violent protests of the “Revolution of Smiles” in Algiers. Through friends, he meets the activist Nardjes, and accompanies her for 24 hours on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2019. He shows her chanting slogans at a large-scale rally with thousands of demonstrators and then, after sharing an evening meal, dancing at a club where everyone shakes off the tensions of the day. His camera is constantly at the heart of the action.
The young people in Aïnouz’s film are representative of a new, politically engaged generation worldwide; he portrays a youth that is confidently taking to the streets to protest against corruption and fight for the democratic future of their country – the same country for whose independence from France their parents and grandparents once fought.
by Karim Aïnouz Algeria / France / Germany / Brazil / Qatar 2020 Arabic, French, Tamazight 80’ Colour World premiere

Crew

Director Karim Aïnouz
Cinematography Juan Sarmiento G.
Editing Ricardo Saraiva
Sound Design Sebastian Morsch
Sound Ilyas Mohammed Guetal
Assistant Director Viviane Letayf, Mourad Hamla
Casting Sarah Trifi, Fouad Trifi
Line Producer Mario Brandão
Production Manager Jule Jäger
Producers Marie-Pierre Macia, Christopher Zitterbart, Claire Gadéa, Richard Djoudi, Janaina Bernardes

Show Guest Entertainment

Inflamável

Karim Aïnouz

Born in Fortaleza, Brazil in 1966, the director, screenwriter and artist has made over 15 films so far. Praia do futuro screened in the 2014 Berlinale Competition; his documentary Zentralflughafen THF was presented in Panorama in 2018 and won the Amnesty International Film Prize. A vida invisível received the main award in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes in 2019. He is a mentor for screenwriting at the Brazilian institute Porto Iracema das Artes and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Filmography (selection)

1992 O Preso; short film 1993 Seams; documentary 1994 Paixão Nacional; short film 1998 Le Ballon de Bairros; documentary 2002 Rifa-me; short film · Madame Satã (Satã) · Madame Satã (Madam Satan) 2003 Hic Habitat Felicitas 2006 O céu de suely (Love For Sale) · O Céu de Suely (Suely in the Sky) 2009 Viajo Porque Preciso, Volto Porque te Amo (I Travel Because I Have to, I Come Back Because I Love You) · Viajo porque preciso, volto porque te amo (I Travel Because I Have to, I Come Back Because I Love You) 2011 Sunny Lane; short documentary · O abismo prateado (The Silver Cliff) · O Abismo Prateado (The Silver Cliff) 2013 Venice 70: Future Reloaded 2014 Praia do futuro (Futuro Beach); Competition · Praia do Futuro; Competition · Cathedrals of Culture; Berlinale Special · Diego Velazquez oder ungeschminkter Realismus; documentary 2018 Zentralflughafen THF; documentary, Panorama · Zentralflughafen THF (Central Airport THF); documentary, Panorama 2019 A vida invisível (Invisible Life)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020