The Blond Boy from the Casbah

Le petit blond de la casbah

This enchanting semi-autobiographical drama recreates the vibrant Mediterranean city of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Passionate filmmaker Antoine travels to his birthplace, Algiers, with his young son to present his new film: an account of his childhood in mid-20th century Algeria during the country’s civil war. As he wanders through the city, the filmmaker immerses us in the moments of happiness, laughter, and tears of his childhood spent between school, friends, and his Jewish family. Growing up in the final moments of Algeria’s pre-independence period, the young Antoine discovers his profound fascination with cinema and starts to understand who he truly is.

Le Petit blond de la Casbah is adapted from Alexandre Arcady’s memoir of the same name. Born in Algiers in 1947, Arcady moved with his family to France as a teenager. He is a prolific filmmaker and several of his films have Jewish themes and characters, including 24 Days, What the Day Owes the Night, and For a Woman, which he made with his wife, the French-Jewish filmmaker Diane Kurys directing.

SPONSORED BY:
Barbara Small and Leonard Schein

Festivals and Awards

• Winner: Opening Night Film Award, Stony brook Film Festival, 2024
• Nominee: Best Visual Effects, Digital Creation Genie Awards, 2020