Nahla

Cinema TV5

Camera without a visa

Welcome to all.

Farouk Beloufa's Nahla is a cult movie of the Algerian cinema.

and it's director whose work has always been hindered or confined to underground screenings...

enjoys a considerable reputation...

owed to artists whose talent never compromised.

The story of Nahla is set in Lebanon in the middle of the 70's...

where an Algerian journalist meets three women.

A journalist, a Palestinian activist and Nahla the singer...

who suddenly loses her voice during her concert.

How and what can one sing as the civil war is raging?

The script written in collaboration with Rachid Boudjedra...

Describes with terrible and magnificent lucidity...

the mechanism of the great contemporaneous Arabic confusion...

the tragedies and the excesses that it generates.

But it also acts on us as a premonition today...

of the atrocious civil war that hit Algeria 10 years after the movie came out.

Nahla uses the symbol of the voice suddenly sentenced to silence...

and plays on the nostalgia of an era when sung feelings could be heard.

It is the film of a seer who looks at what will happen...

and refuses the blindness that some will try to impose on him.

the excellent Tunisian movie maker...

whose films like 'The Silences of the Palace' have conquered the audience...

took care of Nahla's editing.

And since this Arabic movie offers women all the space they deserve...

Farouk Beloufa couldn't find better qualified.

I'm so taut!

So tense!

"Relax, girl!"

That's what Maha would say...

What is it I have?

The fever back again.

Where has Maha gone?

She disappeared, of course...

I miss her so bad...

I don't know anymore...

Things are out of my control...

I wish I could talk to someone...

But to whom?

I can't believe all that has happened.

Nahla or the sinking city

Bring the camera.

Camera one, ready!

Silence!

It's the play-back issue again!

- She can't do that again! - Watch the other camera, Selim!

Be ready for the 2nd try!

How do you feel?

Do you need anything?

Take the camera down...

Let's do it once again.

Bring the camera.

Attention, camera.

How could all these things happen.

What does all that mean?

Hurry up!

Someone you are close to, that you would like to talk about...

Yes, my grand-mother was living...

This is off-topic! And you never met her!

What do you care?

Okay! Well, let's come back to the point.

Nahla!

Ready for the generic?

Salim, you're soon.

Turn your back.

Video ready.

salim ready.

Nahla ready.

Play-back ready.

Everything ready?

OK? Let's go.

Production

Radio Télévision Algérienne (RTA)

And on the other hand, the Lebanese Press declared...

that the Israeli Army is going to attack the whole region in a few hours.

Kafr Chouba, in the South,

symbolize the "Kunaitre" for the Arabs, around 1975.

We salute the glorious fighters...

who brought back dignity to our Arab Nation...

with their fight, their support and challenges...

in the face of the Zionist, Nazi attacks...

devoid of all mercy and humanity.

The silence of the Arab States about the situation...

can only point to a plot against our dear South.

The inhabitants of Kafr Chouba have fled to Marjaïoum and Nabatieh.

They do not know what their fate will be.

A person close to the Lebanese government said yesterday...

that they won't help since the fight is between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

What do you think?

People say that the (Lebanese) government has no control in the South.

because of the Palestinian presence there, is that true?

the interests of the Lebanese people and those...

of the Palestinian people are the same, you can't dissociate them.

And Cairo agrees with that.

You do not answer to my question.

Is it true that Kfar Chouba is under communist control?

Palestinian or Lebanese, communist or socialist...

it doesn't matter since the citizens of this land have a one fight...

they have one enemy, the Israeli Zionism.

Smoke Marlboro, the cigarettes in the red and white pack...

Marlboro.

Yaser Arafat, the chairman of the Fatah organization, said he expects...

the outbreak of a fifth war in the Middle East...

if this explosive situation that afflicts South Lebanon is not appeased.

What are you trying to achieve with all these things?

You know what?

When I think about Nabil I wonder the same thing.

Who are you talking about? Nabil or Nahla?

Do you need something? I going to the kiosk.

Give this to Michel.

Nahla! What's up?

I should have called you long ago but...

No, it would be better if we meet. We have to.

I will be the one calling you.

Rubric "Shows".

Who really cares of that? If we don't pay, there is no ad.

We have to make an effort with all the magazines.

Logrolling... Listen to me carefully.

We need someone who is close to Nahla.

Someone who knows and likes her, of course.

Someone who understands "the sensitivity of her audience".

Someone who can sell her with style.

We don't need demagogic schemes.

Only you can handle this task.

You're right, but I'll pass.

Forget it. Let's think about it from a different point of view.

This singer, Nahla...

Where does she come from? What does she represent?

How does she dance and sing?

- How do people sense her? - This is interesting!

Further more...

it would help her work on her personality, her style.

I got it right, but it's still no.

You are impossible.

"Now that the days of winter are gone..."

"that the days of snow are gone..."

"he who has gone..."

"he who has left..."

"I wish he who has escaped..."

"will come back and we'll be kids again."

"I will read the books again..."

"I will live in that house again..."

"I'll gather firewood around..."

"and lit the fire."

"Take me with you my love..."

"let's go for a walk."

"You'll tell me secrets, secrets."

"Take me with you my love..."

"let's go for a walk."

"You'll tell me secrets, secrets."

"I don't know what happened to him."

I can exchange this, no problem.

This is Beyrouth! We can buy or sell everything.

Even the Devil if you want! I will take him, exchange him,

and sell him to you! You won't even notice.

By the way, the Dinar is not worth more than the Franc?

You surprise me.

Looks like you know nothing about it.

I know it's hard to, but stop looking at the money like this!

Michel, did someone ever pointed a gun at you?

Me, no. But the one I'm replacing...

Some guys attacked him.

They made an agreement and shared the money!

They all ran away together.

Hurry up, Raouf! She just left...

in a black car with ther mother!

Go, you can still catch them!

She had a long face! It looked liked she had swallowed a sweep.

Do you think I will believe that?

I told you to hurry!

He completely fell for her! He left like a rocket!

I bet he will end up wrecked, he's crazy!

I got you!

What? She was wearing dark glasses too.

By the way, are you going to see Hind?

Tell her to take me here.

Let's go... we're late!

See you.

Hello. Welcome, you can go.

Good.

I will wait for you guys here.

Do you recognize this voice?

This old man, he's been like this for 12 years, totally lost.

Since he's been like this he hasn't said a word.

Hind is here!

- How are you doing today? - Good. And you?

Come in, have a seat.

Thank you, another time.

Anything new?

Not yet. I will tell you as soon as something happen.

I haven't heard from my brother neither.

Wait for me, I'll be here in ten minutes.

Larbi, do you see this patch of sky?

Last year, two planes appeared there.

- Phantoms? - No, another type.

The harassment lasted four hours.

People were terrorized and tried to hide.

There was a boy in panic there.

Fleeing.