Algerian Movie Wins Khouribga African Cinema Festival

Algerian director, Ghouti Bendeddouch, with his movie "La Voisine," won on Sunday night the Khouribga African cinema festival's grand prize, worth US$ 70,000.

The movie describes everyday life in a Casbah in Algiers, a secluded world ruled by stringent and conservative law where women are facing several constraints. The movie, blending sensitiveness and humor, shows that life goes on despite the daily violence.

The jury, chaired by Mohammed Berrada (Morocco) and comprising Algerian Amar Laskri, Benin's Jacques Benhanzin, Canada's Gerard Lechene, Egyptian Hachim Nahhas, Mali's Abdoulay Ascofare and Morocco's Leila Chaouni, also awarded the best actress prize to Houyeme Rassaa for her part in "the noria song" and the best actor prize to Leroy Gopa for his part in "Yellow Card."

The festival also gave the best director prize to Burkina Faso's Dani Khouyate for his "Sia, Le Reve de Python," the prize of the best first movie to "Tayf Nizar" of Morocco's Kamal Kamal, the best script prize for "Closed doors" to Egyptian Atef Hettat, the original music prize to "Adanggaman" of Cote D'Ivoire.

The jury further decided to grant a special distinction to "Voyage A Ouaga" of Congolese Camille Mouyeke, "Dar Essalam" of Chadian Serge Issa Coelo and "Black Friday" to Niger's Djingarey Maiga Abdoulaye.

The eighth festival, held this July 14-21, wound up in the presence of several Moroccan and foreign movie directors, artists writers, intellectuals and other personalities.

A partnership treaty was signed by the Khouribga festival and the Dakar cinematography center.

A total of 17 movies, representing 15 African countries, were vying for the festival's prizes.