Papicha

The French-Algerian film Papicha is an admirable portrait of resilient youth, following one young woman’s unwavering resistance to the murderous repression of Islamic extremists during the Algerian Civil War in the late 1990s. Nedjma (Lyna Khoudri) is studying French at a women’s university in Algiers, but as we meet her, she and her best friend and roommate, Wassila (Shirine Boutella), are sneaking out to go clubbing. In a boisterous sequence, they meet their friends in a dance hall bathroom — where Nedjma pulls out the homemade gowns she has designed for a clutch of enthusiastic customers.

The rest of the film grows from seeds planted in that scene: Nedjma decides to hold a fashion show in defiance of the terrorists; the young women find boyfriends whose views of a woman’s role vary widely; the university becomes increasingly fortified and isolated. The details verge on soap opera territory, but the setting is vividly recreated. Directing her first feature, Mounia Meddour has a kinetic, verité style that keeps the camera moving in a mostly choreographed way, not so much to fake documentary authenticity as to put viewers in the middle of the action. (Dramamine not required.)

Khoudri is tough and appealing in the lead role, and her friends and family are well-cast for both talent and believability. Where the film falters is in its storytelling, as many plot points are telegraphed in advance (an assassination), while others seem easy choices (an unwanted pregnancy). And for a film about a harsh, violent time, Papicha — the title is Algerian slang for an attractive young woman — pulls most of its punches. When a beloved professor is hooded and kidnapped right from his classroom, the students barely react, and he’s never mentioned again.

Papicha claims inspiration from real events, but only its setting seems nonfictional; the characters are all invented. The film was Algeria’s submission for the foreign language feature Oscar for 2019, but it didn’t make the short list of ten semi-finalists, perhaps because its soapier elements dilute its topical drama. A grittier film would have been harder to watch, certainly, but perhaps more true to its own themes.

Grade: B-minus. Not rated, but borderline PG-13 or R. Available May 29 from the Fine Arts Theatre’s Virtual Cinema screening program.

(Photo: Jour2Fête)