Amina Annabi Movies
A winning game show contestant falls prey to an opportunistic actress who seeks to deceive him by seduction, and take him for all he's worth. Jalil has just won big on "Mr. Average," Germany's most popular game show. When a beautiful woman named Claire walks into his life shortly thereafter, Jalil falls hopelessly in love. But what Jalil doesn't know could break his heart: Claire is an actress playing a role, and Jalil is her ticket to the big time. But the deeper Claire sinks into her role, the more difficult it becomes to maintain her performance. The greater the lie grows, the more confused Claire becomes about her true feelings and convictions. Will Claire discover her conscience in time to realize that true love is actually within reach, or is it too late to tell Jalil the truth and finally make amends for her cruel act of deception? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Caroline Dhavernas, Khalid Maadour, (more)
- 2005
Djamel Bensalah's comedy Once Upon a Time in the Oued stars David Saracino as Yacine, a young man attempting to get out of the marriage his parents have arranged for him. As he sets off for a summer with his family in Algeria, he and his best friend Johnny (Julien Courbey), meet a pair of women who the twosome flirt with. Johnny wants nothing more than to play football for the Algerian national team, and Yacine's younger brother must face a rather painful tradition. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julien Courbey, David Saracino, (more)
In the contemporary Tunisian thriller Bedwin Hacker, a female media pirate - holed up in a remote outpost in the mountains of Tunisia - figures out a way to take over the television and radio airwaves in France and North Africa to broadcast political messages. The irritated French Intelligence service closes in on her, which leads to a tit-for-tat game of intrigue between the hacker and her pursuers. Helmed by a female director, this film is of some historical significance, given its unusually frank, straightforward, and accurate portrayal of the day-to-day experiences of north African women. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Muriel Solvey, Tomer Gazit Sisley, (more)
In France in 1452, the dark superstition of the Medieval era was beginning to give way to the more enlightened attitudes of the Renaissance. But the changes were slow in coming, as Richard Courtois (Colin Firth) learns when he moves to the country village of Abbeville, owned and ruled by the Seigneur (Nicol Williamson). Courtois is a lawyer, or an "advocate" as they were called in those days, and the Seigneur has hired him to act as a public defender for those who cannot provide their own legal counsel. One odd remnant of the dark ages that Abbeville has not purged from its legal system is the practice of prosecuting animals as well as humans for crimes; as Courtois arrives, he nearly witnesses the execution of both a man and a donkey who were found guilty of bestiality (the donkey was spared at the last minute because it could not be proved that she consented to the act). So Courtois is not exactly surprised when one of his first cases finds him defending a pig against charges of murdering a small child. Courtois soon discovers that the pig belongs to Samira (Amina Annabi), a beautiful gypsy woman he finds himself falling in love with. Losing the pig would mean losing many meals down the road, so to win Samira's good tidings, Courtois must prove the pig innocent -- which means finding the real killer. However, since the Seigneur is eager to see Courtois (or anyone, for that matter) marry his daughter Filette (Lysette Anthony), his affection for Samira may not be good for his future employment prospects. This period comedy/drama also features Donald Pleasance, Ian Holm, and Michael Gough. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colin Firth, Ian Holm, (more)
From director Bernardo Bertolucci, The Sheltering Sky is a filmed adaptation of the novel of the same name by Paul Bowles. Debra Winger and John Malkovich star as Kit and Port Moresby, a married American couple who globetrot to North Africa in the late '40s with the hopes of re-sparking their love and adding some zest to their lackluster lives. Along for the ride is the pair's friend George Tunner (Campbell Scott), who soon begins having an affair with Kit. As they struggle through the numbing heat of Africa amidst the sudden love triangle, each of the trio sees his and her beliefs and lives challenged. The Sheltering Sky earned a Best Director nomination for Bertolucci at the 1991 Golden Globe Awards. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Malkovich, Debra Winger, (more)
