REORIENT:

Taking the off-beaten path, director Lyes Salem’s The Man from Oran depicts, using fictional characters, the little-related story of the events succeeding the Algerian victory in 1962. Salem’s film follows Djaffer – or, Jeff, as his friends call him – a simpleton who becomes involved with the struggle for independence alongside his friend, Hamid. After a scuffle which sees Djaffer unwittingly take the life of a French farmer whilst he and Hamid are on the run, Djaffer goes on to fight in the war and emerge a hero. Victory, however, does not taste so sweet for him, as when he returns home, he discovers his wife is dead and has left behind the bastard child of the farmer’s son, the latter having avenged his father through raping the former. Hamid, on the other hand, enjoys life as the country’s first President and the suave, dashing face of a new and modern Algeria.

Go to link