The 4th International Film Festival "Imedghassen" kicked off Saturday evening at the regional theatre Salah-Lembarkia, in Batna, in the presence of a large audience.
The guests of the festival, organized by the cultural cooperative “El Lemsa,” were welcomed in a festive atmosphere.
The representative of the minister of Culture and Arts Nabil Hadji, chairing the opening of the event alongside the governor of Batna, Mohamed Benmalek, hailed the efforts of the young team in charge of the event’s organization, which managed, according to him, to “overcome all the difficulties in order to make the festival successful.”
Hadji underlined that the festival, an international event assembling the professionals and great names of the 7th art from Algeria and others countries, confirms the importance of the role of cinema in the cultural revival.
A revival made possible, he said, thanks to the support provided to “targeted and constructive initiatives” which encourage creativity in view of the dominating position of this art among creative young people who carry the torch of progress.
The organization of this international cultural event, with the participation of more than 17 brotherly and friendly countries, coincides with the commemoration by Algeria of the National Memory Day, on 8 May 1945, and with the prospect of the celebration, on 5 July, of the 62nd anniversary of Algeria’s independence.
Several artists, including Fatima Halilou, Hassan Benzerari and Mohamed-Tahar Zaoui from Algeria, as well as Mustapha Zamani from Iran, were honored in the festival’s opening ceremony.
No less than 21 short films, produced in 17 countries, are competing for the prize of the festival which will be held until 15 May, according to the festival’s commissioner Issam Taachit, who underlined that this year, the event is marked by a qualitative presence of Algerian and foreign figures, notably Tahar Boukla (Algeria), Mustapha Zamani (Iran) and Todor Chapkanov (Bulgaria).
