As part of its fifth edition (24–30 September 2025), the Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival is proud to announce the release of a collective book entitled “Hamina the Majestic”, produced in collaboration with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), as a tribute to the legendary Algerian filmmaker Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, who brought glory to Algerian and Arab cinema by winning the Palme d’Or in 1975 for his masterpiece Chronicle of the Years of Fire.
The book brings together contributions from twenty critics representing seventeen countries: from Spain Eva Peydró and Eduardo Guillot, from Egypt Zein Alabedin Khairy and Omnia Adel Hassan, from Saudi Arabia Ahmed Alayyad, from Cuba Erian Peña Pupo and José Rafael Rojas Bez, from Madagascar Aina Randrianatoandro, from Italy Roberto Baldassarre, from Niger Youssoufa Halidou Harouna, from Iran Bijan (Hassan) Tehrani, from Romania Dinu-Ioan Nicula, from Portugal João Antunes, from the United Kingdom Steven Yates, from Peru Sofía Álvarez-Salas, from Cameroon Pélagie Ng’onana, from Palestine Saleem Albeik, from Lebanon Mohamad Ghandour, and from Georgia Alexander Gabelia.
Statement by Mohamed Allal, President of the Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival and Editor of the Book:
“This book is a tribute of loyalty and gratitude to a man who turned Algerian cinema into a universal language and an everlasting human voice.”
This publication cements the artistic and human legacy of Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina as one of the great figures of world cinema, while reaffirming the Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival’s mission to celebrate cinematic memory. The book will be officially presented during the festival’s fifth edition, to be held from 24 to 30 September 2025 in Annaba.
Media and Communications Department
