ANNABA, Algeria, May 1, 2026 — The sixth Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival closed on Thursday after six days of screenings and related events, with 55 films from 20 countries presented.
Screenings took place at the Azzedine-Medjoubi regional theatre and the city’s cinematheque, including 13 international premieres and 35 Algerian films.
Egypt, the guest of honour, was featured in an exhibition on Algerian-Egyptian cinematic heritage, showcasing film posters and equipment tracing the evolution of filmmaking tools.
A highlight of the festival was the screening of the Algerian-Qatari documentary “Gijon 1982,” attended by former Algeria internationals Lakhdar Belloumi and Rabah Madjer. The film revisits Algeria’s 1982 World Cup campaign and includes testimonies from players, including Germans Pierre Littbarski and Harald Schumacher.
The programme also included an international conference on Algeria’s role in hosting Arab and politically engaged cinema, as well as a masterclass led by producer and critic Ahmed Bedjaoui, with historian Benjamin Stora and the Moudjahida Louiza Ighilahriz.
Stora called for full access to French archives for Algerian researchers and the removal of administrative barriers to original documents.
