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Camus' 'The Stranger' Inspires New Film 'The Arab'
1 Feb
Summary
- Malek Bensmaïl's film 'The Arab' is a fiction feature debut.
- The movie explores memory, identity, and colonialism in Algeria.
- It is loosely based on Kamel Daoud's novel 'The Meursault Investigation'.
Malek Bensmaïl's fiction feature debut, "The Arab," premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. This film draws inspiration from Albert Camus' renowned novel, "The Stranger," and is loosely based on Kamel Daoud's "The Meursault Investigation." It shifts focus to an unnamed murdered character from Camus' work, who is named Moussa in the film.
The narrative unfolds through the testimony of Moussa's elder brother, Haroun, to a journalist. This structure allows for an exploration of memory, identity, and the lasting impacts of Algeria's 132-year colonial period under French rule. The film also touches upon the Algerian Civil War, a period known as the Black Decade.
Director Bensmaïl, transitioning from documentaries, stated he sees no difference between the genres, utilizing actors' innate qualities to shape their characters. He highlighted the mother-son relationship, noting its Oedipal undertones and paralleling Algeria's history with the mother's "craziness of revenge."
