The Fouroulou film premiere is set to take place next Saturday in Tizi-Ouzou during the 18th edition of the National Cultural Festival of Amazigh Film (FCNAFA), marking the cinematic adaptation of Mouloud Feraoun’s famous novel The Son of the Poor. Directed by Ali Berkennou, the film will be screened at the Djurdjura cinema hall as part of the festival’s cultural program celebrating Amazigh cinema and heritage.
The film tells the story of Fouroulou Menrad, the central character of Mouloud Feraoun’s celebrated novel The Son of the Poor, originally published in 1950. Drawing inspiration from the author’s own childhood in the village of Tizi Hibel in Kabylia, the story follows the life of a young shepherd born into poverty who eventually becomes a teacher through determination and dedication to education.
Through his adaptation, director Ali Berkennou brings to the screen the journey of a young boy from a modest background who strives to change his destiny through learning. The narrative explores Fouroulou’s perseverance while also portraying the social and economic hardships experienced by many Algerians during the period of French colonial rule.
The Fouroulou film premiere is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Djurdjura cinema hall in Tizi-Ouzou, according to the local Directorate of Culture and Arts. The screening is expected to attract cinema enthusiasts, cultural figures, and festival participants attending the event.
Mouloud Feraoun, whose work inspired the film, remains one of Algeria’s most influential writers. Born on March 8, 1913, in the village of Tizi Hibel in the commune of Ath Mahmoud, he began his education at the age of seven before continuing his studies at the college of Tizi-Ouzou and later at the Bouzareah Normal School in Algiers.
After completing his studies, Feraoun began his teaching career in 1935, returning to his native region where he worked as a teacher. Over time, he rose through the ranks to become a school director and later an education inspector, dedicating much of his life to education and intellectual development in Algeria.
Feraoun’s life came to a tragic end during the final months of the Algerian War of Independence. On March 15, 1962, he was assassinated along with five colleagues — Ali Hamoutene, Salah Ould Aoudia, Etienne Basset, Robert Aymar, and Max Marchand — by members of the Secret Armed Organization (OAS), a French extremist group opposed to Algerian independence.
The National Cultural Festival of Amazigh Film will take place from October 26 to 30 under the theme “The Film at the Heart of the Revolution.” The event will feature film screenings competing for the prestigious L’Olivier d’Or Prize, along with conferences, debates, master classes, and professional workshops dedicated to cinema.
This year’s edition is particularly significant as the festival returns after a hiatus of more than four years. Organizers say the event aims to strengthen Amazigh cultural expression and promote Algerian cinema.
The detailed program of the festival will be officially unveiled during a press conference scheduled for Wednesday, led by Festival Commissioner Amar Tribeche and the Director of Culture and Arts of Tizi-Ouzou, Nabila Goumeziane. The announcement is expected to outline the full lineup of films and cultural activities planned for the event.
Sami B. is the founder and editor of Algeria News Gate, an independent English-language platform covering Algeria’s political, economic, and business developments. Based in Europe, he reports on official announcements, economic trends, and international relations involving Algeria.