Machaho

1995 1h 30m AR

🤯

9.0

MASTERPIECE

★9.0TMDB · 2

DramaComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In Kabylie, rude mountain region in the north of Algeria. Arezki finds the young Larbi exhausted, buried under the snow. He takes him in and nurses him until he's recovered. The host seduces Arezki's daughter. She is pregnant. This is an unsupportable shame to the father of the female sinner. Arezki claims vengeance. He leaves his house and takes the oath not to come back before having killed Larbi who betrayed him under his own roof.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Said Amrane
Rabah
Meriem Babes
Ferroudja
Rachid Hadid
Larbi
Belkacem Hadjadj
Arezki
Hadjira Oul Bachir
Tassadit
Amal Zediri
Larbi's Niece
Salem Ait Ali Belkacem
Oussalas

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Belkacem Hadjadj
Writers: Belkacem Hadjadj
Languages: Arabic
Countries: France, Algeria

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

31 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Algeria.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Belkacem Hadjadj, shot by Georges Lechaptois. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Diane Logan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Said Amrane and Meriem Babes and Rachid Hadid carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0216892 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Belkacem Hadjadj directs. Georges Lechaptois behind the camera. Diane Logan cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Algeria. Dialogue in Arabic.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
231 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: France, Algeria.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Belkacem Hadjadj, shot by Georges Lechaptois. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Editor Diane Logan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Said Amrane and Meriem Babes and Rachid Hadid carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0216892 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.