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Showing @ Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Sat 27 Oct only
Dahmane Ouzid / Algeria / 2010 / 113 min
Hailed as the first ever Algerian musical comedy, Essaha director Dahmane Ouzid has succeeded in carving out a new genre while trying to keep the content fiercely satirical. He tells of a group of juveniles defending their local square against corporate takeover while tussling with older generations who wish to claim the site as their own. It is an all-singing, all-dancing riot, a disguised mass statement about Algeria’s political condition and a revelation in the musical comedy genre.
It is surely one of the liveliest films to feature at Africa in Motion 2012, bursting with a nutty exuberance reminiscent of Black Cat, White Cat and ironic portrayals of the youth which oddly recall the energy of western musicals like West Side Story and Grease. This gives Essaha a connection to global film styles and techniques which deliver its blistering satire, cleverly nodding towards old Arabic musicals and the glamour of traditional Bollywood while showcasing the creativity of Algeria’s young artists. The songs are hilarious but also packed with tough political comments on the position of women in society and lined with emotive statements about Algeria’s relationship with superpowers China and America. Its only flaw is its length, jamming in too much information about the state of the nation and its history; while fascinating and completely necessary, it weighs down the concepts.
Showing as part of Africa in Motion Film Festival 2012.
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