The Desert Ark (L'Arche du Desert), a variation on Romeo and Juliet set in the Algerian desert. A young couple must face inevitable conflict when their rival families discover their secret love. Taking refuge in a cave, they listen to the sounds of a senseless campaign of violence and murder, which is the culmination of the extremism that has long divided their two communities. Nominated for the Golden Leopard at the 1997 Locarno Film Festival.
Cast
Myriam Aouffen
Myriam
Abdelkader Belmokadem
Wise Omar
Hacen Abdou
Amin
Hassan Kachach
Uncle
Messaouda Adami
Houria du Ksar
Shyraz Aliane
Cousine
Amin Chouikh
Child
Hamdou Djaballah
Musician
Lynda Fares
Myriam's aunt
Rachid Dahmane
Unknown
Abdelrahim Bouzine
Musician
Mustapha Boudoya
Amin's friend
Bahous Bouhafs
Beggar
Ali Bensaïb
El Moutanabi
Abdelkrime Bencheikh
Amin's brother
Smain Allaoi
Unknown
Crew
Mohamed Chouikh
Director, Writer
Djamila Benferhat
Writer
Yamina Bachir-Chouikh
Editor
Mustafa Ben Mihoub
Director of Photography
Halim Sahraoui
Assistant Director
Rachid Diguer
Producer
Nadjet Taibouni
Producer
Sandrine Vernet
Producer
Klaus J. Gerke
Associate Producer
Thomas Kroh
Associate Producer
Zola Lamaini
Costume Design
Tahar "Ghazal" Cherfaoui
Makeup Artist
Mourad Dahmani
Sound Mixer
Yazid Serhane Mohamed
Sound Mixer
Hakim Laref
Sound Mixer
Gérard Rousseau
Sound
Rachid Bouafia
Sound
Philippe Arthuys
Music
Mohamed Guechoud
Music
Mustapha Boudoya
Production Manager
Brahim Tizeggaghine
Production Manager
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