Tribute to Anis Djaâd

On March 4, 2026, Anis Djaâd — a talented writer and director, and a former Meditalents resident — passed away. We received this news with deep sadness. In tribute to him, we invite you to look back on his remarkable journey.

Anis Djaâd was born on April 29, 1974, in the Bab El Oued district of Algiers. He grew up there and completed all of his studies in the city. In 1996, he began his career in cinema as an assistant director on França Ya França by Djamel Beloued. However, in 1997, he was forced to leave the industry following the dismantling of the national film production company. Nevertheless, he never gave up hope of returning to cinema. In the meantime, he turned to journalism and became a reporter for the newspaper Soir d’Algérie.

He returned to cinema in 2006 by writing the screenplay for the feature film Au Bout du Tunnel. He continued his work as a screenwriter, notably writing H3O and Les Assoiffés. At the same time, he remained active in print journalism, particularly for the Algerian daily La Tribune, while also beginning to write novels. In 2007, he published his first novel, Matin Parisien, with Éditions Manuscrit, which was well received by critics. His second novel, L’odeur du violon, published in 2009, was equally acclaimed.

Anis Djaâd then took a new step by moving into directing. In 2012, he wrote and directed his first short film, Le Hublot. This work marked an important recognition and established him as a filmmaker to watch. He went on to direct several notable short films selected in festivals, including Passage à niveaux (2014), which won Best Director and Best Actor at the Oujda Maghreb Short Film Festival. In 2016, he directed Le Voyage de Keltoum, which received the award for Best Fiction Short Film at the Image et Vie Festival in Dakar, as well as Best Actress at the Maghreb Film Festival in Oujda.

Anis Djaâd and Meditalents

The collaboration between Anis Djaâd and Meditalents began in 2016, when he joined the LabMed residency to develop his first feature film, La Vie d’Après. The film was completed in 2021 and went on to have a notable festival run between 2021 and 2022. It received, among others, the African Critics’ Award (Paulin Soumanou Vieyra Prize) at the 33rd Carthage Film Days in 2022, as well as the Audience Award — El Kholkhal d’Or — at the National Festival of Women’s Literature and Cinema in Saïda.

In 2021, Anis Djaâd renewed his collaboration with Meditalents by taking part in the tenth edition of LabMed, where he developed his second feature film, Terre de Vengeance, released in 2024.

The Art of Anis Djaâd

Throughout his career, Anis Djaâd established himself as a committed artist, offering a sensitive perspective on contemporary Algerian society. His socially engaged cinema, marked by empathy and sincerity, reflected a deep connection to Algeria — the country where he lived his entire life.

Despite obstacles and often challenging production conditions, he managed to preserve a singular and coherent artistic vision.

Meditalents remembers a generous and dedicated author. A great artist has passed away, leaving behind a powerful body of work and still so much left to say. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, as well as with all those who accompanied him throughout his career.