21/04/2023 - Elias Belkeddar’s debut feature film, starring Reda Kateb and Benoît Magimel, and produced by Iconoclast Films and Chi-Fou-Mi, is sold by StudioCanal

Having previously turned heads with his short films Todo se puede (rewarded in Clermont-Ferrand in 2014) and Un jour de mariage (awarded the Canal+ Prize in Cannes’ Critics’ Week 2018), and after scripting My Days of Glory and Athena, Elias Belkeddar is now set to unveil his first feature-length directorial effort, The King of Algiers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elias Belkeddar
film profile], in a Midnight Screening within the Official Selection of the 76th Cannes Film Festival (running 16 – 27 May).

The cast is spearheaded by Reda Kateb (nominated for the 2018 and 2020 Best Actor Césars via Django [+see also:
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Q&A: Etienne Comar
film profile] and The Specials [+see also:
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trailer
film profile], triumphant in 2015’s Best Supporting Role category thanks to Hippocrates [+see also:
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interview: Thomas Lilti
film profile], and recently well-received in Our Brothers [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] and Promises [+see also:
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interview: Thomas Kruithof
film profile]), Benoît Magimel (awarded an acting prize in Cannes 2001, as well as the Best Actor César and Lumière trophies in 2022 and 2023 for Peaceful [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] and Pacifiction [+see also:
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interview: Albert Serra
film profile], and likewise gracing The Passion of Dodin Bouffant [+see also:
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film profile] which are also screening at this year’s event) and Algerian actress Meriem Amiar.

Written by the director and Jérôme Pierrat (who previously joined forces to pen Un jour de mariage), the story revolves around Omar, better known as Omar la Fraise, who’s an old-fashioned outlaw. Having been forced to flee to Algeria, he gets by on schemes and deals in the company of his illustrious accomplice Roger. After reigning over the French crime world for several decades, they must now learn to accept their new life together, having only ever known debauchery and violence…

The King of Algiers is produced by Iconoclast Films for Chi-Fou-Mi Productions (of the Mediawan Group), in co-production with France 2 Cinéma. Pre-purchased by Canal+, Ciné+ and France Télévisions, the feature film also benefitted from an advance on receipts from the CNC. The movie will be distributed in France on 24 May courtesy of StudioCanal, who are likewise heading up international sales.

For the record, Iconoclast Films are also overseeing post-production on Rokya by Saïd Belktibia and Chi-Fou-Mi (which is currently enjoying brilliant success in French cinemas with All Your Faces [+see also:
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film profile] by Jeanne Herry), Toni [+see also:
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film profile] by Nathan Ambrosioni.

(Translated from French)