The Algerian Commission for the Selection of Works for the Oscars announced the selection of the feature film “196 meters/Algiers” by director Chakib Taleb-Bendiab to represent Algeria at the 97th edition of the Oscars, in the category of “Best International Film”, indicates a press release from the Algerian Center for the Development of Cinema (CADC).
The feature film “196 meters/Algiers”, a police drama, was selected by the Algerian Commission for the selection of works for the Oscars, commissioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Arts and in collaboration with the CADC.
This film, which is an Algerian-Canadian co-production, whose filming began in Algiers in 2022, recently won the grand prize at the Rhode Island International Film Festival (United States) where it had its world premiere.
Funded by the Ministry of Culture and Arts, the work, the first feature film by director Taleb-Bendiab, tells the story of the kidnapping of a young girl and its cast includes several actors including Hichem Mesbah, Meriem Medjkane, Ali Namousse and Nabil Asli.
Born in 1982, Taleb-Bendiab has directed several short films including the documentary “Averroès, un lien civilisationnel” (2011), “Sang Froid” (2013), and “Black Spirit” (2018), which were screened at several festivals in Algeria and abroad.
The list of international films selected to compete in this category will be announced on December 17, followed by a final list of 5 films on January 17, 2025, which will compete for the award. The winner will be announced on March 3, 2025, at the Oscars ceremony.
