The film is written and and directed by writer/director and composer Chakib Taleb-Bendiab.
Algeria has chosen Chakib Taleb-Bendiab’s thriller Algiers as its entry for the 2025 Oscars in the international feature category. The selection was made by a committee within the country’s culture ministry, which praised Algiers as “a major step toward the recognition of the country’s burgeoning film industry on the global stage.”
In a statement, Taleb-Bendiab said that he envisioned the film as a raw and authentic portrayal of Algerian life, presented through the lens of a thriller—a genre that is seldom represented from Algeria in Western cinema.
Algiers is an investigative thriller addressing the serious issue of child kidnapping in Algeria, a country still recovering from its civil war. The film follows the story of a kidnapped little girl, sparking a wave of tension and suspicion throughout the city. Central to the narrative are Dounia, a skilled psychiatrist, and Sami, a committed police inspector, who together navigate the haunting shadows of Algeria’s past to unravel the mystery.
Written and directed by Bendiab, the film features Meriem Medjkane, Nabil Asli, Chahrazad Kracheni, Hichem Mesbah, Slimane Benouari and Ali Namous.
Algiers is a co-production involving Algeria, Tunisia, France and Canada. Khaled Chikhi from Algeria’s Temple Production serves as the lead producer, with Tunisian co-producer Yasmine Dhoukar from Clandestino and Canadian filmmaker Patricia Chica from Flirt Films acting as executive producer.
The film is edited by Bendiab and Fouad Benhammou and is distributed internationally by MAD World and in Arabic-speaking territories by MAD Distribution.
