Papicha

2019

1h 46m

Drama

List

88%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

71%

Audience Score

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Nedjma is passionate about holding a fashion show in 1997 Algiers, a time when women were oppressed.

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Critics Consensus

A view of societal turmoil through the lens of a young woman's experiences, Papicha acts as a compelling calling card for debuting writer-director Mounia Meddour Gens.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

While the final act frays a little, the sparking tensions of female friendship are vivid and persuasive.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 8, 2020

Full Review

Lillian Crawford

Little White Lies

Can't wait to see more from Meddour, this is seriously powerful filmmaking.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 6, 2020

Full Review

Raphael Abraham

Financial Times

Like its magnetic lead, the film is alternately warm and viscerally angry, with scant patience for nuance.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 5, 2020

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Meddour elaborates with a critical eye and a certain subtlety a text about the struggle of women in times of patriarchal oppression by Islamic radicalism during the Algerian Civil War. Full review in Spanish

Rated: 7/10

Apr 14, 2022

Full Review

Joseph Fahim

Middle East Eye

There is no subtlety in Meddour's characterizations nor hint of intelligence in how she tackles Islamic radicalism, which is personified by a bunch of liberal men-hating women and women obsessed with having every girl in the country veiled.

Jul 3, 2021

Full Review

Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

... cinematography by Léo Lefèvre underlines Nedjima's creativity, in particular her eye for color in the fabrics she selects ... and the costumes by Catherine Cosme will convince you that Nedjima truly has a talent for fashion design.

Rated: 7/10

Oct 27, 2020

Full Review

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Dani G

Oppresion against women, terrorist acts, political resistance by a group of young girls and women empowerement. Great energy

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

it's a brilliant movie,i loved everything about it, and it does depict the truth, whoever says it doesn't is a man who have never experienced such things. and has no right to speak about our experiences.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The main character is an energetic creative and free spirit girl, living in Algeria of the 90s. Though, some of the events depicted in this movie are somewhat true, but not to the extent shown here, which made the movie feel bogus and exaggerated. Many scenes weren't necessarily and the introduction of the religious zealots was absurd and funny. The new trend of empowering women movie's saga continues to spoil many attempts to create good cinema without falling in the trap of creating unnecessary conflicts between women and men, whether is it through religion, men dominance over women, work equality etc. For anyone who is watching the movie without any knowledge about the situation of Algeria in the period of which this movie is supposed to take event, the 90s. Algeria was in a difficult political conflict where the Army didn't want to transfer power to the people, by doing so, killing the first real attempt to real democracy, this escalated the situation and the country fell in a civil war of 10 years. Recent events clarified most of the lies that were circulating in the country by the Algerian government. The bloodiest Islamic zealots were army special forces, deployed to create fear in the harts of Algerian people, the only terrorists Algeria have ever known. Just a side note, many Algerian women are proud Muslim, they have as much freedom as any other women in Western countries. Women in Algeria in general are well protected and valued, whether she wear a cover or not, and of course, like any other society, Algeria have its fair share of problems, but not the the extent shown in this over exaggerated movie. Hope this helps.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

panayiota k

Incredible movie. It was intense and hit you when you didn't expect it. I never researched what is happening in Algeria so it was very shocking to learn. Lyna Khoudri gave everything she had.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

brent m

An engaging tale about a conflict that's received little cinematic attention told from a unique narrative perspective. This fact-based dramatic feature film debut from director Mounia Meddour follows the efforts of an outspoken fashion design student seeking to make a sociopolitical statement about women's rights in her country during the 1990s Algerian Civil War and the aggressively intolerant (and often-deadly) tactics of Islamic fundamentalists to coerce compliance, even in matters of clothing. While some elements of the story seem a bit forced, the film nevertheless raises a variety of intriguing thematic issues using a unlikely but highly inventive form of symbolism. A truly pleasant surprise that emerges from a cinematically innovative premise.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Mounia Meddour

Director

Lyna Khoudri

Nedjma

Shirine Boutella

Wassila

Amira Hilda Douaouda

Samira

Zahra Manel Doumandji

Kahina

Yasin Houicha

Mehdi

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Synopsis

Nedjma is passionate about holding a fashion show in 1997 Algiers, a time when women were oppressed.

Director: Mounia Meddour
Screenwriter: Mounia Meddour, Fadette Drouard
Production Co: Centre Algérien de Développement du Cinéma - CADC, Tayda Film, Caleson, High Sea Production, Same Player, The Ink Connection, Scope Pictures, Tribus P. Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 19, 2020
Runtime: 1h 46m

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