25th Cascade Festival of African Films

BAB EL-OUED CITY

Directed by Merzak Allouache

Algeria, 1994 , 93 min.

It’s 1993 in the decaying neighborhood of Bab El-Oued. In an effort to broadcast their propaganda, fundamentalists have placed loud-speakers upon the rooftops throughout the community. Unable to stand the noise any longer a young baker named Boualem, destroys one of the speakers and tosses it into the sea. The fundamentalists promptly seek out Boualem to punish him for his impudence. Surrounding the main plot are many sub stories, each of which sharply illustrates the complexities of fundamentalism.

In Arabic and French with English Subtitles.