REVIEWS
"Lively ethnic laffer deftly tosses matrimony, celebrity and narcolepsy into a potent brew with international appeal. A likable cast, a witty star turn by [director Lyes] Salem, faultless staging and a neatly inflected pace contribute to a modest but sparkling romp..." -
Variety
“Undoubtedly, Masquerades marks [director Lyes] Salem out as a talent we’ll certainly be seeing more of; and if his next work is as genial as this, the pleasure will be all ours." -
Screen Daily
“Masquerades is the story of the complex struggle between tradition and change in modern day Algeria. Mounir, played by director Lyes Salem, is a gardener with a narcoleptic sister Rym, whom he fears will never marry. Mounir finds her a wealthy suitor, but she has ideas of her own; she and Khliffa, the eccentric town artist, are madly in love. What ensues is absolute chaos: sandstorms, car chases, scandals, and weddings, with a narcoleptic in the mix, all captured with beautiful cinematography and accompanied by vibrant music.” -
Tribeca Film Blog
"This charming romantic comedy suggests that when dreams turn into reality, it’s time to wake up." -
Museum of Modern Art
"When one considers that the widely praised and award-winning Masquerades is Algerian filmmaker Lyès Salem’s first feature, it becomes all the more exceptional: charged with youthful vitality yet never callow, it’s masterfully sure of what it sets out to accomplish—and wise enough never to take itself too seriously." -
SF360
"It's pure fairy tale fun set in a small dusty town in the Algerian Aures." -
Washington City Paper
“Likeable, gently funny French-Algerian comedy with a sharp script and strong performances.” -
View Auckland
“It was also refreshing to watch a film in which an Islamic community was not depicted as the barbaric site of oppression of women, but rather showed the complex nuances of life in a small village in a changing world.” -
Elevate Difference
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
CINEFRANCO FRENCH FILM FESTIVALSYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
ARAB FILM FESTIVAL OF ROTTERDAM
MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
AFRICAVENIR FILM FESTIVAL
HAÏFA FILM FESTIVAL
BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
LIVERPOOL ARABIC ARTS FESTIVAL
ARABIAN NIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL
TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
GASPARILLA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
WISCONSIN FILM FESTIVAL
ISLAM TODAY FILM FESTIVAL
IMAGEN DOS POVOS
Best Actor Lyes Salem, FESTIVAL DES PREMIERS ET DEUXIEME FILM L’ILE DE LA REUNION (REUNION ISLAND)
Algeria’s Official Entry for the 2009 Academy Awards
Lumiere Award for Most Promising Young Actor, LUMIERE AWARDS
Bronze Stallion, FESPACO
Murh Award: Best Feature, DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
FIPRESCI Prize, DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Best Arabic Film, CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Public Prize, BESANÇON FILM FESTIVAL
Grand Prize, FESTIVAL OF THE CINEMA OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Best First Film Prize; Young Jury Prize; Best Young Actress Prize for Rym Takoucht, CARTHAGE FILM FESTIVAL
Best Film ANGOULÊME FILM FESTIVAL
Young Jury Prize; Public Prize, INTERNATIONAL FRANCOPHONE FILM FESTIVAL – NEMUR
ARABIAN SIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL
