2 Algerian movies awarded at Oujda Maghreb Short Film Festival

Two Algerian movies were awarded by the jury of the third International Maghreb Short Film Festival which took place April 16-19 in Oujda (North-East of Morocco), announced organizers. Anis Djaad’s “Le Hublot” (The Window), produced in 2012, received the “award of best direction” while Embarek Menad’s “Imining” (2013) received the “encouragement award,” a reward also attributed to Tunisian Mehdi M. Barsaoui’s film, “Bobby.” A third Algerian film, “Un Bus Nommé Désir” (A Bus Named Desire), by Rachid Benallel, participated among the 23 films in this year’s official competition, whose jury was chaired by Moroccan cinema critic Mustapha Messenaoui. The jury, composed of Algerian cinema critic Nabil Hadjib, President of the Mauritanian House of Cinema Salem Kendou, Tunisian film-maker Reda Bahi and Libyan actress Khadouja Sabri, attributed the “Grand Prix” award of the festival to “Sabbat El Aid” (Eid shoes), by Tunisian Anis Lassoued, and the “Jury Award” to “La Troisieme Main” (Third Hand), by Moroccan Hicham Elladdaqi. The festival also paid tribute to figures of Maghreb cinema, such as Moroccan artist Younes Migri and Algerian actress Bahia Rachedi.