[DZWATCH.DZ]
Algiers, September 29, 2024 – The Ibn Zeydoun Hall in Algiers witnessed the first Algerian premiere of the feature film “196 Meters/Algeria” on Saturday evening. Directed by Shakib Taleb Ben Diab, this film has been selected to represent Algeria in the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
This debut feature film by Ben Diab, funded by the Ministry of Culture and Arts, tackles the pressing issue of child abduction. It tells the story of a young girl who is kidnapped and subsequently rescued following a police investigation. The director himself penned the screenplay, and the film features a talented cast including Meriem Medjkane, Ali Namous, Hicham Mesbah, and Nabil Asli.
“196 Meters/Algeria” is a suspenseful thriller that begins with the kidnapping of “Manal” one night from her working-class neighborhood in the heart of Algiers. A police inspector named “Sami” (Nabil Asli) and a psychologist named “Donia” (Meriem Medjkane) take on the investigation, ultimately rescuing her and unraveling a series of kidnapping and murder cases through their work on her case.
The 90-minute film, which began filming in Algiers in 2022, recently won the Grand Prize at the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival in the United States, where it had its first global premiere.
Ben Diab, born in 1982, has a number of short films to his credit, including the documentary “Ibn Rushd, A Civilizational Link” (2011) and the fiction films “Cold Blood” (2013) and “Black Soul” (2018). He has participated in several film festivals both in Algeria and internationally.
The Algerian Film Selection Committee, commissioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and supported by the Ministry of Culture and Arts in partnership with the Algerian Center for Cinema Development, recently announced the selection of “196 Meters/Algeria” as Algeria’s entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
The international films accepted for competition in this category will be announced in a preliminary list on December 17th, followed by a final list of five films on January 17th, 2025. These five films will then compete for the award, with the winner being announced on March 3rd, 2025, the date of the Oscars ceremony. 196 Meters/Algeria, Algerian film, Oscar entry, child abduction, Shakib Taleb Ben Diab
Author: nor-eleslam
