Simon and his wife, a French tourist couple, discover Algiers by chance through their walks and meetings. Simon recognizes in a bistro an Algerian man he once tortured. The man stares at him. Panic-stricken, Simon runs away...


mit / estrelado / starring / avec :
Mohamed Zinet, Himoud Brahimi, Georges Arnaud, Suzie Naceur, N. Drais

ein film von / em filme de / a film by / un film de
Mohamed ZINET

Algérie, 1971 - Long métrage Fiction, 1h16, Comédie, Couleur

1st (and sole) Feature by this filmmaker / 1er (et unique) Long métrage Fiction du cinéaste


NOTE BY THE PROGRAMMER (MoMa, 2023)
Mohamed Zinet-who joined the ranks of the Algerian liberation struggle before acting in, or working on, films by Ennio Lorenzini, Gillo Pontecorvo, Sarah Maldoror, and René Vautier-has this sole directorial credit to his name. Tahia ya Didou was initially commissioned by the City of Algiers as a vehicle to promote tourism, but it was shelved after the government saw Zinet's end result: a rollicking mix of fiction and documentary that veers between scathing antiauthoritarianism and slapstick. Yet the film stays true to its origin as a tribute to the seaside capital, exuding the vibrancy of its inhabitants and the momentum of the post-independence moment-that is, until a French tourist couple the film has been following have an unexpected run-in, and the past comes barreling back. This gem of Algerian cinema screens in a recent restoration, which is being presented for the first time in the United States.
This film accompanies Narimane Mari (Film Series, 2023).
- www.moma.org/calendar/events/9030



Titel / Título / Original title (in Arabic) / Titre Original (en arabe) :
Tahia Ya Didou !

Título (em Inglês)/ English title / Titre anglais :
Viva Didou!

Título (em Francês)/ French title / Titre Français :
Alger insolite

Year / Année : 1971
Country of Origin / Pays de Production : Algeria / Algérie
Location Country / Pays de tournage : Algeria / Algérie
Couleur, 1h16'
Formet : 35mm (projection DigiBeta)

ELENCO | CAST | ACTRICES_ ACTEURS
Mohamed Zinet........................................................... Hassan, The Blind Man / Hassan, l'homme aveugle
Himoud Brahimi (as Himmoud Brahimi).......................... Momo, The Poet / Momo, le poète
André Moreau............................................................. The French Man / Le Français
Suzie Naceur.............................................................. The French Woman / La Française
Georges Arnaud........................................................ The Swiss Tourist / Le touriste suisse
N. Drais..............................................................


Director / Réalisateur :
Mohamed ZINET

Screenwriters / Scénario : Mohamed Zinet, Himoud Brahimi
Cinematography / Image : Ali Marok, Bruno Muel, Pierre Clément
Sound Design / Son : Abdelhamid Oulmi
Sound / Son : Larbi Chenit
Music / Musique : Michel Portal, M'Hamed El Anka (as Mohamed El Anka, aka El Hadj M'hamed El Anka, Mohamed El-Anka)
Music composer / Compositeur : Michel Portal
Editing / Montage : Noun Serra, Monique Cementi
Script supervisor / Scrpt-Girl : Anne Papillault (as Anne Zinet)

Sound restoration, in 2016 / Son (Restauration, 2016) : Antonio Catalano


PRODUÇÃO / PRODUCTION / PRODUCTION :
APC (Mairie d'Alger)

VERLEIH / DISTRIBUIÇÃO / DISTRIBUTION / DISTRIBUTION :
Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel (CNCA, Algiers)
المركز الوطني للسينما والسمعي البصري


CONTACT (Print Copy / Diffusion du film, Festivals)
- Mr. Mourad CHOUIHI
Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel (CNCA, Algiers)
cnca.alg(@)gmail.com | cnca.gov(@)gmail.com | https://cnca.dz/



FESTIVALS - PROJECÇÕES / FESTIVALS - SCREENINGS / PROJECTIONS (selection) :

* Sélection || Maghreb des films novembre 2010 (PARIS - France)

* Sélection || Maghreb des films juin juillet 2012 (PARIS - France)

* Sélection || Berlin International Film Festival 2018 (BERLIN - Germany)

* Sélection || FIDMarseille juillet 2021 (France)

* New York restoration premiere (selection: Narimane Mari Film series) | MoMA (2023, New-York, USA) | Screenings: Sat, Sep 23, 2023, 7:30 p.m. - Introduced by Narimane Mari - MoMA, The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2, Floor T2/T1 | Screenings: Thu, Sep 28, 2023, 7:30 p.m. MoMA, The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2, Floor T2/T1

* Sélection || 19ème édition du Panorama des Cinémas du Maghreb et du Moyen Orient - PCMMO (2024, France)



Fontes / Our Source / Quelle / Nos Sources (MAIS INFORMAÇÕES / READ MORE / PLUS D'INFOS) :
- Africiné Magazine
- http://maghrebdesfilms.fr/Tahia-ya-Didou
- www.berlinale.de/en/2018/programme/201802668.html
- www.imdb.com/title/tt0281256
- www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alger_insolite
- https://fidmarseille.org/film/tahia-ya-didou/
- www.moma.org/calendar/events/9030
- www.ofdb.de/film/110971,Viva-Didou/
Updated by Thierno DIA, 07 Sept 2024