The first time I've heard about this movie, and the fact it was Algeria's submission to the Oscars, it caught my attention; the plot reminded me a bit of another amazing algerian movie (I still hide to smoke) and so we went.
And, ladies and gentlemen, what a movie! There is a fine balance between fun/light scenes with others which clearly showcase the political chaos of the time, but even the fun scenes carry at least a bit of anticipation in the back, something could go wrong at any moment, and this is not something this film let the viewer forget (at least, not me).
Despair, in fact, was a feeling I felt a lot of time during the movie. But even more than that clear and raw despair/terror, this film really excels in providing an atmosphere of apparent powerlessness; "everything is changing around me, what I can do?".
Not only the characters were all very realistic, but Papicha herself was the perfect protagonist to this story, and the acting here is superb.
All and all, one of my favorites movies of 2019.
Review of Papicha
