ABOU LEILA

Amin Sidi-Boumédiène

algeria france qatar 2019 140 min

Algeria, 1994. Terrorism is raging since two years,  in the North of the country, everyday bringing dead and horrors. S. and Lotfi, two friends from childhood, travel through the 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.

• About the film

  Directed by Amin Sidi-Boumédiène

  Screenplay Amin Sidi-Boumédiène

  Cast Slimane Benouari Lyes Salem Azouz Abdelkader Fouad Megiraga Meryem Medjkane Hocine Mokhtar Samir El Hakim

  Cinematography Kanamé Onoyama

  Editing Amin Sidi-Boumédiène

  Production Companies In Vivo Films Thala Films

• Festivals & Awards

  La Semaine de la Critique — Festival de Cannes
  2019 | Competition — World Premiere

  Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
  2019 | International Competition
  Silver Méliès — Best European Fantastic Feature Film

  Festival International du Cinéma Méditerranéen de Montpellier — Cinemed
  2019 | Official Competition
  Critics' Award — BNP Paribas

  Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage — JCC
  2019 | Official Competition
  Best Actor — Lyes Salem

  Seville European Film Festival
  2019 | New Waves
  Best Film Award — New Waves

  International Film Festival of India — Goa
  2019 | Debut Competition
  Centenary Award — Best Debut Feature Film of a Director — Amin Sidi-Boumédiène

  D’A Film Festival Barcelona
  2020 | Official Selection
  Critics' Award

  Entrevues — Belfort International Film Festival
  2020 | International Competition
  Gérard Frot-Coutaz Award — Best First Film

  Metropolis — Beirut
  2019 | Official Selection

  New Horizons International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Sarajevo Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Arabian Nights Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Morelia International Film Festival
  2019 | Cannes Critics' Week Selection

  Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal
  2019 | Official Selection

  Cairo International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Torino Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Marrakech International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Calgary International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Melbourne International Film Festival
  2019 | International Panorama

  SANFIC — Santiago International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Filmfest Hamburg
  2019 | Kaleidoskop

  Fantastic Fest
  2019 | Official Selection

  Reykjavík International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Französische Filmtage Tübingen
  2019 | Focus Afrique

  Denver Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Thessaloniki International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Cork International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Brussels Mediterranean Film Festival — Cinemamed
  2019 | Official Selection

  Tbilisi International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  International Film Festival Shanghai
  2020 | SIFF Highlights

  Amman International Film Festival — Awal Film
  2020 | Arab Feature Narrative Competition