← Back to figures
Independence & Modern Algeria
Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina
Cinema & Film
Modern VoicesFilm director of memory and independenceNational / Algeria-wide
“The first Arab and African Palme d'Or — won with sand and wind.”
Historical significance
His Palme d'Or for Chronicle of the Years of Fire made Algerian cinema visible internationally and affirmed film as a vessel of national memory.
Chronicle of the Years of Embers framed how the war is filmed and remembered.
Their story
Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina brought Algerian historical memory to the world screen with grand, carefully composed images. His films connect personal lives with the wider movement of a people seeking freedom and dignity.
Did you know?
Known for: Chronicle of the Years of Fire.
Cultural threads