Madame Courage

Story

Omar, a lonely teenage drifter, lives on the edge of the Algerian port of Mostaganem. He’s hooked on Artane, a popular drug known among young Algerians as Madame Courage which gives them the illusion of being invincible. To pay for his habit, Omar mugs young women for their handbags and jewelry. One day, he robs Selma and then falls in love with her. He wants to see her, be with her, but Selma’s brother forbids her to have contact with the young junkie thug. But Omar persists – and waits. Madame Courage is a haunting social portrait of a lost generation of young Algerians looking for an outlet for their emotions and energies.

Director

MERZAK ALLOUACHE (*1944) is one of Algeria's most influential directors and has repeatedly taken a critical view of his country in his work, as in his previous film Le Repenti (2013) or now with Madame Courage. He became known internationally in 1977 with Omar Gatlato, which like many of his films was shown at Cannes.