Yema

Credits

Name: Yema

Country: Algerien; Frankreich

Year of publication: 2012

Format: Digital

Color: color

Language : OF m. engl. UT

Duration: 93 Minuten

Direction: Sahraoui, Djamila

Camera: O`Byrne, Raphaël

Editing: Gouze, Catherine

Sound: D`Ham, Guillaume

Actor: Sahraoui, Djamila; Yahia, Samir; Zarif, Ali

Abstract

Ourdia moves back into her remote house in the mountains of Algeria in order to bury her son Tariq. He belonged to an Islamist group that was headed by his older brother Ali. Because of this, Ourdia holds Ali partially responsible for Tariq’s death, and she wants nothing to do with him. That only changes when Ali turns up with Tariq’s baby.
The story is filmed amongst ages-old mountain landscapes, and it highlights the trauma left behind in many Algerian families by the devastating religious wars waged between fundamentalists and government troops.

Director Djamila Sahraoui presented her debut film BARAKAT! in 2008 at the “Out of Europe X” African film festival in Cologne. In YEMA, she herself takes on the main role of Ourdia, providing a deeply moving portrait of an embittered mother. For her achievements as an actor and director she has been nominated for numerous awards. YEMA was honoured with the silver “Étalon de Yennenga” in the FESPACO 2013 feature film competition.