PAPICHA
During the Algerian Civil War, an aspiring fashion design student plans a progressive fashion show in spite of the growing Islamist insurgency that threatens her independence.
Based on her own experiences in Algeria, the powerful debut film from Mounia Meddour is a rallying cry filled with passion, love, and a fierce determination found in its young, inspiring cast. Though the Algerian Civil War would come to be known as the “Black Decade,” Algiers university student Nedjma (Lyna Khoudri) saturates her growing fashion design portfolio with splashes of color and zeal. High-tension checkpoints are only minor setbacks for her weekend trips to dance clubs to share her party dresses with other students. Nedjma’s radiant and wild personality, matched by Meddour’s fluid, energetic direction, is challenged when Islamic protesters start to disrupt the safe haven of her Western-friendly university. As students begin to abandon their education in fear for their safety, Nedjma and her friends stage a controversial fashion show featuring pieces made only from the traditional Algerian white haik. Led by the magnetic Khoudri, Papicha smartly captures a talented group of young women obsessing over boys, music, and school even as they bravely stand defiant against a growing threat.
CAST: LYNA KHOUDRI, SHIRINE BOUTELLA, AMIRA HILDA DOUAOUDA, NADIA KACI
In Competition: First Feature Award
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