Rachid Benallal

Rachid Benallal

January 1, 1946 — Alger, Algérie

Rachid Benallal is an Algerian director, screenwriter and editor (sometimes credited under the name Rachid Benallel), born in 1946 in Algiers, Algeria.

Rachid Benallal began his cinema studies at the INC in Algiers and completed them at the IDHEC in Paris (graduated in editing). Upon his return to Algeria, he worked as an assistant director for Algerian television and directed two short films. From the early 1970s, he became chief editor and edited a dozen Algerian feature films, including some of the most significant of the moment (notably for Mazif, Allouache and Haddad). In total, Rachid Benallal has edited more than 32 feature films and as many 35mm short films. He also worked in Morocco as an editor on 15 feature films and 7 short films in 35 mm between 1994 and 2001. Screenwriter of the film "Un Toit, Une Famille" 35 mm fiction feature film (1979), Rachid Benallel, directed his first feature film in 1993, "Ya Ouled", about childhood between war and independence. He co-directed the film "Si Mohand u M'hand" on one of the most important figures of Berber culture in 2003 with Lazid Khodja. His latest film was made in Algiers, capital of Arab culture in 2007 and is entitled "The Last Solution". Benallel also worked in the audiovisual sector as a director and directed a series of 17 episodes of the show "Tranche De Vies" between 1993 and 1994 as well as the game show "Chkoun" in 1995.

During his career, he received several distinctions, including an editing prize in Marrakech 2001 and that of best advertising spot (Tebessa, 1993). Rachid Benallal also worked in training as supervisor of the UFC show (1991), as a teacher in cinematographic techniques at the Abane Ramdane Cultural Center (1976), at the ENTV Training Center, Berlioz (1982) and at INADC Bordj El Kiffan (1986). In 2011, he was President of the Jury of the 2nd Algiers Cinematographic Days.