THE ROOFTOPS

ES-STOUH (LES TERRASSES)

By Merzak ALLOUACHE

ELLE DRIVER - as SALES All rights, World

Drama - Completed 2013

From dawn till dusk, paced by the calls to prayer, a surprising crowd wanders about on the rooftops of Algiers. Closed spaces, that have become open air mirrors to the contradictions, the violence, the intolerance of the endless conflicts that mar the Algerian society.

Festivals
& Awards

La Biennale di Venezia - Venice FF 2013
Competition
RDV Unifrance 2014
COLCOA 2014
North American
    • Year of production
    • 2013
    • Genres
    • Drama
    • Countries
    • ALGERIA, FRANCE
    • Languages
    • FRENCH, ARABIC
    • Duration
    • 92 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Merzak ALLOUACHE
    • Writer(s)
    • Merzak ALLOUACHE
    • Producer(s)
    • Jacques BIDOU (JBA Production), Marianne DUMOULIN (JBA Production)
    • Synopsis
    • From dawn till dusk, paced by the calls to prayer, a surprising crowd wanders
      about on the rooftops of Algiers. Closed spaces, that have become open air mirrors to the
      contradictions, the violence, the intolerance of the endless conflicts that mar the Algerian
      society.
      The film takes place during one day, where we focus on the destinies of various characters,
      friends, families, all with their own singularity and their appropriation of these terrasses that
      dominate the city. Their stories start slowly and show different facets of Algiers today. They
      all have in commun a tragic event in their lifes and the calls to prayer echoe al along the
      escalation of their squalid living. Like a perspective on Algeria seen from above contrasting
      with the lowness the city shows us.