PAPICHA

Mounia Meddour

algeria france belgium qatar 2019 105 min

Algeria, 1990s. Nedjma, an 18 year-old student passionate about fashion design refuses to let the tragic events of the Algerian Civil War to keep her from experiencing a normal life and going out at night with her friend Wassila. As the social climate becomes more conservative, she rejects the new bans set by the radicals and decides to fight for her freedom and independence by putting on a fashion show.

• About the film

  Directed by Mounia Meddour

  Screenplay Mounia Meddour Fadette Drouard

  Cast Lyna Khoudri Shirine Boutella Amira Hilda Douaouda Zahra Doumandji Nadia Kaci

  Music Robin Coudert

  Cinematography Leo Lefevre

  Editing Damien Keyeux

  Production Companies Tayda Film Ink Connection Scope Pictures Hakka Films Be TV Proximus

• Festivals & Awards

  Cannes Film Festival — Un Certain Regard
  2019 | Official Selection
  Nomination — Caméra d’Or

  El Gouna Film Festival
  2019 | Feature Narrative Competition
  El Gouna Star — Best Arab Narrative Film

  Festival du Film Francophone d’Angoulême
  2019 | Official Competition
  Valois du Public
  Valois du Scénario — Mounia Meddour
  Valois de l’Actrice — Lyna Khoudri

  War on Screen International Film Festival
  2019 | International Feature Film Competition
  International Jury Award for Best Direction — Mounia Meddour
  Student Jury Prize — Best Feature Film

  Festival International du Film de Valladolid — Seminci
  2019 | Official Section
  Pilar Miró Award — Best New Director — Mounia Meddour
  Audience Award

  Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
  2019 | Official Competition
  Mediafilm — Robert-Claude-Bérubé Award

  Cartagena International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection
  Young Jury Award

  Cineuropa Film Festival — Santiago de Compostela
  2019 | Official Selection
  Audience Award

  Philadelphia Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection
  Nomination — Archie Award for Best First Feature

  Carthage Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection
  Nomination — Tanit d’Or

  Thessaloniki International Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection
  Nomination — WIFT Award

  Satellite Awards
  2019
  Humanitarian Award — Mounia Meddour

  César Awards
  2020
  César — Best First Feature
  César — Best Female Newcomer — Lyna Khoudri

  Prix Alice Guy
  2020
  Prix Alice Guy — Mounia Meddour

  Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in New York
  2020 | Official Selection

  Göteborg Film Festival
  2020 | Focus: Feminism

  Sofia International Film Festival
  2020 | Francophonie 50

  CINEMANIA Francophone Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection

  Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
  2019 | Horizons

  Melbourne International Film Festival
  2019 | International Panorama

  The American French Film Festival
  2019 | Official Selection