On November 04, 2022, in Tunis, as part of the 33rd session of the JCC, the FACC jury delivered its statement:
"For its scriptwriting mastery: its tells a simple story, both local and universal, which includes the viewer in the reflection,
For the camera's ability to follow the characters in interior and exterior spaces to serve the narrative,
For the accuracy of its editing and its soundtrack,
For the despairing story of a mother and her child who intelligently reminds us of the evils of society,
And for the struggle with dignity of vulnerable characters in the face of societal violence described with authenticity and without concession,
The Jury of the African Federation of Film Critics (FACC) unanimously awards the African Critics Prize - Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, to the Algerian film:
The Life After (La Vie d'après - الحياة ما بعد), by Anis DJAAD (Algeria, 2021)".
The FACC Jury at the 33rd JCC is comprised of the Togolese Charles AYETAN (President), the Tunisian Hichem BEN FARHAT (Rapporteur), as well as the Burkinabè Mahamadou Lamine OUEDRAOGO (Member). They are all three Film critics.
For his first fiction feature, the Algerian director Anis Djaad follows Hadjer who is forced to flee the village with her son, Djamil. A rumor runs about her in their remote village in Algeria. It's the end of a peaceful life and the beginning of a tormented survival in the twists and turns of the big city. In the grip of men's desire, Hadjer will have to fight to get out of their clutches but above all to preserve his son, whose adolescent impulses sound the danger.
Lydia Larini (Hadjer), Ahmed Belmoumane (Djamil), Djemel Barek, Samir El Hakim (Mohamed), Hadjla Khelladi (Fatma), Mourad Khane, Mohamed Amine Mouffok, Hind Guettab and Ali Damiche are the the main roles.
Golden Tanit nominee at the 2022 Carthage Film Festival (Tunis - Tunisia) and Golden Stallion nominee at 2022 FESPACO (Ouaga - Burkina Faso), The Life After won also the Bouamari-Vautier Prize for best fiction, in February 2022. Given for the fifth year, this Bouamari-Vautier Prize rewards a first feature (fiction/documentary film) by Algerian and Franco-Algerian filmmakers, under the aegis of the Association France -Algeria / AFA, during a ceremony held in Paris (France). It bears the name of two founding fathers of Algerian cinema: Mohamed Bouamari (Le Charbonnier / Al-fahâm, 1972, L'Héritage / Al-irth, 1974,...) and René Vautier (Afrique 50, 1950, Algérie en flammes, 1958, Avoir vingt ans dans les Aurès, 1971...).
Anis Djaad's film also won the Special Jury Prize at the 41st edition of the Amiens International Film Festival - FIFAM (Amiens - France, 2021).
All the 10 Nominees (Paulin Vieyra - African Critics FACC Award at 2022 Carthage FilmFest
01 - The Life after (La Vie d'après) | Director: Anis Djaad | Algeria (2021), starring Lydia Larini, Ahmed Belmoumane, Djemel Barek, Samir El Hakim
A rumor is spread about her in a remote village in Algeria. Hadjer is forced to flee the village with her son, Djamil. The end of a peaceful life and the beginning of a tormented survival in the meanders of the big city. Prey to the desire of men, Hadjer will have to fight to get out of their clutches but especially to preserve his son whose adolescent impulses sound the danger.
02 - Under the Fig Trees (Sous les figues - تحت الشجرة) | Director: Erige Sehiri | Tunisia (2022), starring Ameni FDHILI, Fide FDHILI, Feten FDHILI, Samar SIFI, Leila OHEBI
Among the trees, young women and men working the summer harvest develop new feelings, flirt, try to understand each other, find - and flee - deeper connections.
03 - Fractus | Director: Nader Rahmouni | Tunisia (2022), starring Rim Riahi, Mhadheb Rmili, Mohamed Mrad, Selma Mahjoubi, Lamine Hamzaoui
Yassine, son of an authoritarian father and a depressive mother, had managed to maintain a relatively balanced facade. It is his powerful crush on Leïla, a classmate, that will finally tip this precarious balance. Malek's wisdom and affection illuminate part of this path to self-discovery.
04 - L'Esclave (The Slave) | Director: Abdelilah ELJAOUHARY | Morocco (2022)
Brahim comes from nowhere. In the village where he arrives, he presents himself, to the great astonishment of the customers of the Café de la Place, as a slave who needs a master. "I am a slave for sale" he tells them. But, for these villagers, this is unacceptable! So they chase him away, throw him out, assault him.
05 - Le Panthéon de la Joie (Grand Frère Tambour-Tam-Tam) | Director: Jean Odoutan | Benin (2022), starring Jacob GBETIE MARCOS, Jérémie AHOUANSOU, Coffi Jean-Phlorique ANATO, Carl TCHANOU
Ouidah, Benin. The neighborhood Le Panthéon de la Joie. When you are 12 years old, fatherless and you become the breadwinner of your family, you admire the villa under construction of a "Big Brother" who seems to have conquered Europe. It is not really important if this Big Brother that one does not know is more a legend than a reality.
06 - Le Sermon des Prophètes (Exogène) | Director: Seydou BOUNDAONÉ - Burkina Faso (2022), starring Ibrahim "Billy" Diallo
Abdou Djamal, a 50-year-old leader of an armed group, poses as a gold digger and a devout Muslim. He lives cloistered in his home in a neighborhood of Ouagadougou, a small town on the outskirts of the capital. He only goes out to go to the mosque and to attend a few social ceremonies. A strategist and sure of his art, he excels in manipulation.
07 - Les Révoltés (Vuta N'Kuvute / Tug of War) | Director: Amil Shivji | Tanzania (2021), starring Ikhlas Gafur Vora, Gudrun Columbus Mwanyika, Siti Amina
Zanzibar, 1950. Denge, a rebellious young revolutionary meets Yasmin, a young Indian-Zanzibari escaping an oppressive arranged marriage. Denge is deeply immersed in the independence struggle against British rule, busy translating and distributing Soviet propaganda.
08 - Sharaf | Director: Samir Nasr | Egypt (2021), starring Ahmed AL MUNIRAWI, Fadi ABI SAMRA, Khaled HOUISSA, Ridha BOUKADIDA
Sharaf, an Egyptian in his twenties, is idle in a shopping street in downtown Cairo. In front of a movie theater, a stranger offers him a seat and invites him, after the movie, to continue the evening at his place. The path that opens before him will not be that of pleasure. He will discover himself as well as the diversity of his Egyptian society.
09 - Simin Zetwal (Regarde les étoiles) | Director: David Constantin | Mauritius (2022), starring Edeen BhuGgeloo, Sharonne Gah-Roussety, Jérôme Boulle
In a working-class city of Mauritius, old Bolom has disappeared. His son Ronaldo sets out to find him and crosses paths with Ajeya, an Indian immigrant worker. He dreams of a golden boy's life, she flees her condition of a modern slave. Together, their nocturnal crossing of the island takes on a new dimension, between a mystical journey and a desire for freedom.
10 - Xalé : Les Blessures de l'enfance | Director: Moussa Séne Absa | Senegal (2022), starring Nguissaly Barry, Rokhaya Niang, Ibrahima Mbaye Tché, Mabèye Diol
Awa, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, is happily living her teenage years alongside her twin brother Adama. When their grandmother dies, her aunt and uncle promise to marry in order to preserve the family union. But Fatou does not love Atoumane and the latter, tired of waiting to consummate his marriage, commits an irretrievable act.
Thierno I. DIA
