Arab Film Series Online: Bloody Beans + Talkback

Arab Film Series Online: Bloody Beans + Talkback

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This July, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Algerian Independence from France, Arab Film Series presents Bloody Beans, an experimental take on the Algerian War by Narimane Mari. This program is accompanied with a recorded discussion with the filmmaker.

Shot on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Algerian independence, (the film) is based on a loose, improvisational script about a group of children who, fed up with their monotonous diet of beans, decide to steal food from the French military barracks and end up capturing a young French soldier as well. This allegory of the Algerian War of Independence is enacted on the beach and within the populous neighborhoods of today’s Algiers, where almost half the population is under twenty-five years of age and largely unemployed. In a powerful mix of past (the struggle against French occupation) and present (the struggle of young people to survive), the film addresses the emotional realities of colonialism and contemporary forms of disenfranchisement., which sees the conflict played out by a group of vibrant children. Incorporating unique lighting and sound, the film is a complex exploration of colonial powers and the fight for freedom.

77 Minutes / 2013 / Algeria / Experimental / French and Arabic with English subtitles

For questions, e-mail Dave Serio at dserio@accesscommunity.org.