CHEB Cinema From Other Countries

Chebtells the story of Merwan, a 19-year-old Algerian boy who has lived in France since early childhood. Deported by the French government to Algeria, he finds himself in ?country whose language and customs he doesn’t understand. With the help of Malika, a young girl as rootless as himself, Merwan decides to return to the only homeland he has ever known: France. Through sparse dialogue, dazzling photography of Algerian villages, towns and deserts and the haunting score of composer Safy Boutella, director Rachid Bouchareb tells a powerful story of young people torn between different cultures and backgrounds. -Melissa Drier, Berlin International Film Festival