Mustapha Hasnaoui is an Algerian film director and producer renowned for his award-winning documentaries on the cultural and political history of the Maghreb region. He is best known for his feature-length documentaries, such as The Battle of Algiers (1966) and his latest, The Wind of the Aures (2018).
Mustapha was born in Algeria in 1945 and grew up in a family with strong nationalist sentiments. From an early age, he was exposed to the culture and politics of the country, which would later influence his work. He studied sociology at the University of Algiers and worked as a journalist for the Algerian daily newspaper El Moudjahid.
In 1966, Mustapha made his first feature-length documentary, The Battle of Algiers. The film focused on the Algerian struggle for independence from France and its aftermath. The film was critically acclaimed and won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. It was also a commercial success, becoming one of the highest-grossing films in Algeria.
Mustapha continued to make documentaries about politics and culture in the Maghreb region. He explored issues such as gender roles, post-colonialism, and the effects of war on civilian populations. He also made films about the Algerian war of independence and the post-independence period.
In 2010, Mustapha released his first feature-length fiction film, The Wind of the Aures. The film focused on the life of a young woman living in a small village in the Aures mountains of Algeria. The film won the Special Mention Award at the Cannes Film Festival and was selected for the official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Mustapha Hasnaoui has made an important contribution to the cinematic history of Algeria and the Maghreb region. His films have shed light on issues often overlooked by mainstream media and have given a voice to the people of the region. His work has won numerous awards and continues to inspire filmmakers around the world.
