The spatial common denominator of Dans ma tête un rond-point is a slaughterhouse in Algeria, a small theatre of humanity, where drama often hands over to romantic comedy, or even to pure burlesque with a touch of surrealism. By taking the time to really get to know the employees, Hassen Ferhani obtains beautifully deep testimonies. From the two young men who speak only of true love while they butcher cows, to the old sage who has so much to share, this film deploys magnificent cinematographic characters, as well as a few classic scenes. Implicitly, the film also draws a fascinating portrait of Algeria today, of its thwarted hopes, its generational conflicts, and its at times discouraging blockages—a portrait of Algeria going round and round in circles. (Laurence Reymond)
Hassen Ferhani was born in Alger in 1986. In 2006, he directed his first short film Les Baies d’Alger. Then, two short documentaries Le Vol du 140 (2008), Afric Hotel (co-directed with Nabil Djedouani) in 2010 and Tarzan, Don Quichotte et nous. Dans ma tête un rond-point is his first feature film.
Cast
Youcef, Hocine, Ali Bey, Ali et Madame Dalila, Halim, Sadek, Amine