La zerda et Les chants de l'oubli

German title: La Zerda und die Gesänge des Vergessens

Director: Assia Djebar    → show biography   ← hide biography

Biography: Assia Djebbar, born June 30, 1936 in Cherchell, Algeria as Fatima-Zohra Imalayène, was an author, film director, historian and university teacher. Her films are "La nouba des femmes du mont Chenoua" (1979), "La zerda ou Les chants de l'oubli" (1982) and "Le cercle de minuit" (1992). She died on February 6, 2015 in Paris.

Country: Algeria

Year: 1982

Synopsis: For LA ZERDA ET LES CHANTS DE L'OUBLI Algerian writer Assia Djebar changed professions in order to recapitulate the colonialization of the Maghreb using French newsreels. The film employs montage to search for the truth in these "images of a killing gaze", a truth which they pointedly do not show: the "resistance behind the mask". The soundtrack brings together multi-vocal chants and experimental music to form a furious swan song to colonial violence.

Language: Arabic

Forum participation year: 1983, 1990

Forum catalogue PDF: Download