CHECKS & BALANCES
synopsis
Accommodated since Algeria's Bloody Decade of the 1990’s in the "House of the Press", the journalists of the famous daily newspaper El Watan await the completion of their new offices, a symbol of their independence.
My camera is embedded in their newsroom as they follow the events of this new Algerian spring… President Bouteflika has set his sights on a 4th term.
Beyond what we call the Arab revolutions and other mediatized terms, I wanted this film to serve as a memorial to the women and men, young and less young, who battle daily to safeguard the freedom of information in a politically and socially fossilized country.
international title: | Checks & Balances |
original title: | Contre-pouvoirs |
country: | Algeria, France |
year: | 2015 |
genre: | documentary |
directed by: | Malek Bensmaïl |
film run: | 97' |
release date: | FR 27/01/2016 |
screenplay: | Malek Bensmaïl |
film editing: | Matthieu Bretaud |
music: | Phil Marboeuf, Camel Zekri |
producer: | Hachemi Zertal, Malek Bensmaïl |
co-producer: | Gérald Collas, Yann Brolli |
production: | Hikayet Films (DZ), Thala Films (DZ), Magnolias Films (FR) |
backing: | Fonds Bertha IDFA, AFAC |