Arabic, with subtitles in English
Algeria, 2008 (92 minutes)

Synopsis
After working for much of his life as a gardener in his dusty Algerian village, Mounir dreams of improving his family’s fortune and gaining a measure of respect by marrying off his narcoleptic sister, Rym, to a “real gentleman.” However, Rym has other plans—she dreams of marrying Mounir’s best friend, Khliffa, who has secretly courted her for years. When Mounir lashes out at village gossip with a fib that he has promised Rym to a wealthy outsider, she comes out of her sleepy stupor to embrace the rumor and press her real betrothed into action. Beautifully brought to life by a memorable cast—including director Lyes Salem as the cocky but compassionate bumbler Mounir—this heartfelt comedy suggests that when dreams become reality, it’s time to wake up.

About the Director
Lyes Salem was born in Alger, Algeria in 1973. After studying at the National Conservatory for Superior Dramatic Arts, he performed in some of the most respected theaters in the country. His second short film, Cousines, received France's César award for Best Short Film in 2005. As an actor, he has appeared in a number of films, including Alex, Banlieue 13 and L’Ecole de la Chair. Mascarades is his first feature film.

Principal Cast

Mounir
Rym
Khliffa
Habiba
Amine
Redouane Lamouchi

Lyes Salem
Sarah Reguieg
Mohamed Bouchaïb
Rym Takoucht
Merouane Zmirli
Mourad Khan

Crew

Director
Writers
Producers
Cinematographer
Editor
Music

Lyes Salem
Lyes Salem, Nathalie Saugeon
Yacine Laloui, Isabelle Madelaine
Pierre Cottereau
Florence Ricard
Mathais Duplessy