Drei Frauen in Algier

I was curious about this film, as it's about several women in modern day Algeria. Unfortunately, the story itself never caught my interest--mostly because the film felt more like a dispassionate film made by a documentarian instead of a full-length story about people. The bottom line is that I didn't care about these people nor their seedy lives.

The film is about three women: Goucem, a very screwed up young lady who's been having an affair with a married man for three years, Papicha (Goucem's mother) who is an ex-prostitute and Fif who is currently a prostitute. Their problems and concerns never really registered with me.

What I found interesting about the film was actually not the story (I didn't like it at all) but the views into modern Algeria. Though a Muslim nation, I was surprised at the nudity (it was graphic) and the very secular nature of the characters and situations. It flies in the face of stereotypes of Muslim nations--giving us a fuller view of the various facets of life and attitudes. But this, unfortunately, was not enough. The story left me amazingly cold and bored.

This is the type of film that I would love to love. The cast are remarkable - Lubna Azabal and the actress that plays her mother in particular. The subject is a complete reversal of what one would expect of Algeria. It's also a film with very strong female roles. So in theory, everything is in place to make an explosive combination.

So why does it drag so much? "Viva" is curiously dispassionate, despite the best efforts of the cast. Longish midrange shots film the actor's movements, without letting us get into their heads. We understand what they are doing and why, without really becoming involved.

With a firmer hand, this could have been an explosive story, à la Almodovar. As it is, I get the feeling it's a great script and cast being put through the motions.

I also have to add a word about the highly distracting plinkety-plonk piano music that adds to the lethargic direction. I presume the director wanted to avoid Arabic music to avoid clichés. But puh-lease! This sounds like a low-budget auteur chamber soundtrack when what was needed was something to drive us towards the next scene.

First I lived in Algeria as a child from 63-66. I was very curious about this movie and how things had changed. I am also a pretty good judge of how authentic it is.

The story revolves around Goucem a 27 year old single woman and her mother. Key to the plot is a prostitute Fifi, they all live in Pension Debussy a hotel in downtown Algiers. (We lived in a hotel not a block away in 1963.) Goucem is involved in a no win relationship with an older married man--her mother lives in her past when she was a dancer and the prostitute--well--turns tricks.

The point of the movie is to show what contemporary life is like on the ground in Algiers with emphasis on women. Islamic fundamentalism is background thunder.

First, I was surprised that French would still be so widely used--one would have thought Arabic after 50 years of independence would have largely displaced it. Algiers looks weatherbeaten and somewhat run down---everything from the phones to the buildings look like they have not been modernized much if at all since 1962. They show the wear and their age. Still I much prefer the old buildings to modern stuff. There appears to be population pressure--lots of traffic and people everywhere. Algeria's economy despite its oil money it has not prospered as it could have--also the schism between the Islamists and the secular populations was devastating amounting to a civil war. There is reference in the movie of things like the water being on only every 3 days--life is poor and rather difficult for most. And with religious orthodoxy flexing its muscles things are getting more restrictive.

I think the movie probably exaggerates the current Frenchness of the population.--playing boules? wearing mink coats? Of course the native Algerians have assumed the middle class roles formerly held by Europeans and along with that the mink coats still....

The movie was very nostalgic for me and I gave it an 8. However it drags the last hour...especially the endless scenes with the mother. It is worth a watch for anyone although probably a 6 is about the right rating.

RECOMMEND

The story of Goucem, a 27-year old Algerian woman, who works days at a photo shop and is involved in a long-term, dead-end affair with a doctor and her mother, played by Biyouna, who is an ex-cabaret dancer/singer and fears the Islamists after years of bloodshed and turmoil in Algeria during the 90s.

Having been displaced from their home (perhaps after Goucem's father's death? or maybe as a result of the Islamists/government corruption?), she and her mother are living in a residential hotel with a mixture of people including a family with young kids and a prostitute.

There are a variety of scenes of Algiers and peeks into different types of life. Goucem's life seems routine, working, dating the doctor, going to clubs meeting men and flirting with a recurring neighbor. Through sad events in the film, she discovers many things about what she really wants from life.

This film contains quite a bit of nudity and swearing, my Algerian companion at the screening said because of that type of content it will PROBABLY NEVER be screened in Algeria. (HOWEVER... I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT IT HAS BEEN SHOWN IN ALGERIA... TIMES ARE CHANGING, my companion at the US screening has been here since 1989 and has only returned to Algiers once in 2002) The comparison to Almodovar (of Spain) that I read somewhere is warranted, I see the similarities.

Understanding the historical underpinnings of the 90s and current day Algeria would aid in understanding, and more importantly not MIS-understanding the movie.

The movie, although dark in general ends with a glimmer of hope for better times for the some of the characters, but just a glimmer.

The shifting of political power affects our lives more than anything else in the world. And being trapped between two ruthless forces and the shifting political powers makes it almost unbearable for characters of this touching movie. Being a women in Islamic world was always, to put it mildly, hard, but these days of increasing Islamic fundamentalism bring even more hardship. Algerian women must have it particularly hard after a long period of secularism and opportunities for carrier and fulfillment. " Viva Laldjerie" is a brave and concise movie that poses many questions. It doesn't give many answers, mostly because in the shaky times we live in, the outcome is unknown.