عمر قتلتوا الرجالة
Omar Gatlato (1977)
OMAR GATLATO (1977)
Merzak Allouache’s debut feature film, Omar Gatlato, marks a true break in Algerian cinema, both in its narrative and its form. Omar, a not-so-playboy from Bab El-Oued, recounts his daily life, from waking up with migraines and raising a large family to hanging out with his friends listening to music. Facing the camera, Omar, consumed by his masculinity (the literal meaning of his pseudonym Gatlato), speaks with complete freedom. This movie proposes an intimate, humorous portrait of everyday urban life and a conflicted young man’s masculinity.
The film marks a true turning point in the history of Algerian cinema. Filmmaker Merzak Allouache uses humor, not without melancholy, and irony as tools to provoke reflection on the future of Algeria and its youth in the 1970s. — NADIA MEFLAH
Country of Origin: Algeria
Run Time: 1h 30m
Language: Arabic
Rank in the list: 34th
Genre(s): Drama Comedy
Synopsis
In mock documentary style, a young man recounts with wry commentary a typical day in his life in the Bab el-Oued quarter of Algiers, while the camera playfully shows a different story. In following Omar and his friends in their pursuit of happiness, the film examines with shrewd humor the gang values of urban youth—their passion for popular culture (soccer, “Hindoo” movies, Rai concerts); their hidden fear of women; their social insecurity in an environment where they are marginalized.
Notable Cast and Crew
Merzak Allouache
Director
Boualem Benani
Cast (Omar)
Aziz Degga
Cast
Farida Guenaneche
Cast (Selma)
