Algeria 1990s, Nedjma wants to be a fashion designer, but it’s difficult when terrorist groups are taking over, and setting rules for women to cover themselves with burqa. Nedjma wants to put on a fashion show at her school.
Blaine: Papicha is an old saying that Algeria used in the 90s. It was defining someone who fights for her emancipation. Mounia Meddour was a teenager while she and her family were living in Algeria during the 90s. There was a civil war going on between Fundamentalist and civilians. Fundamentalist were thought off as terrorists to a lot of people because they were attacking civilians. People were living in fear and they prayed that this would end so they could live life peacefully.
Women were fighting for their freedom because they didn’t want to wear burqa. They also weren’t allowed to work, be educated, or have any rights. Anyone who didn’t follow the rules would be killed. This lasted a decade, and 150,000 people were killed. Mounia’s family didn’t want to live this way, so they moved out of the country, and began a new life in France. There, Mounia found a passion for filmmaking. She made a couple of documentaries and a short film. Mounia had an idea to make a movie inspired by the things she experienced back in Algeria. And the lead character, Nedjma, would represent all those females who were fighting for themselves.
Nedjma is all about having a good time, whether she’s hanging out with her friends, or designing clothes. Nedjma dreams of being a fashion designer. Fashion is everything to her, and she has a talent for it. She even attends a school that teaches fashion. But it’s difficult to enjoy what you are most passionate about when new rules are being set in Algeria because terrorists are taking over. They want women to cover themselves with burqa. Not everyone follows the rules. Nedjma certainly doesn’t. Nedjma doesn’t want to cover herself, she’s against that. Nedjma is not afraid to stand up against them. Terrorists really grind Nedjma’s gears.
Actress Lyna Khoudri was born in Algeria in the early 90s. Her family moved out the country when she was two. They lived in Germany for a little, and then moved to France. Mounia Meddour felt Lyna was right to play Nedjma because she really understood the character. Lyna thought if she was an 18 year old girl living in Algeria during the 90s she would have the strength to defend what she believes in, and she brought that into the character. Lyna showed what Nedjma is all about. She shows that Nedjma is not afraid to let out her emotion, and will speak up whenever she has something to say. Mounia was really impressed with the work Lyna was putting into her performance. She took the character to a next level compared to how she was written. Mounia loved watching Lyna perform as Nedjma.
Things can be peaceful half of the time. Other times they can be dramatic.
People in Algeria were afraid to leave their homes thinking they would never return. They either went missing or they were shot to death. Nedjma and her sister, Linda, visit their mother, and all three of them are having a lovely time while playing with fabric. Nedjma has to get back to school to attend a class, and a stranger shows up asking for Linda. All of a sudden Nedjma hears a gun shot from behind. She doesn’t have to turn around to see her sister is dead. The sound of the gun shot says it all. Linda’s death is too much for Nedjma. She can’t take the pain. Linda was a very kind person with heart, and her life was taken away by a terrorist, making Nedjma’s heart a broken one.
Nedjma still has her mother, and her friends, Wassila, Kahina, and Samira. Nedjma's relationship with all three of her friends is a sisterhood. Next to fashion, Nedjma’s family and friends are everything to her in life. They attend fashion school with Nedjma, and they too hope to achieve a career in fashion.
Nedjma is very upset as she cleans Linda’s blood off of the fabric. But that fabric also inspires her with an idea to put on a fashion show. She gives her friends an example, and it looks exciting to them.
Terrorists are attacking places that are fun, like night clubs, and video stores. They've even taken over the place that sells fabrics. Now they only sell burqa. No one in Algeria hates the terrorists more than Nedjma. They are destroying everything that is fun, and causing Nedjma to lose her sanity. She can’t live like this. All Nedjma wants in life is a career, and to live life happily.
Nedjma is not the only one who has things rough. Her friend, Samira, is arranged to be married to someone she does not love, and she is pregnant with someone else’s baby. Samira is going to be in big trouble if her brother finds out. Samira has her friends to look after her, and they know they’ll figure something out. Samira didn’t plan motherhood so soon, but she is looking forward to it. She believes having a baby will be beautiful and she will love it with all her heart.
Terrorists want everything their way, and don’t accept everyone else’s way. They are harassing Nedjma’s school, and she just wants them to go away. They stress her out, and make her friends cry.
Nedjma meets a boy named Mehdi and she thinks he is nice, but she doesn’t have a crush on him. Nedjma is more in love with her work. Wassila likes Mehdi’s friend, Karim, but Nedjma is not fond of him because he’s like others who want women to cover themselves instead of showing off their looks. Mehdi wants Nedjma to leave the country with him so they can have a life together. He’s thinking too fast and Nedjma is thinking about what is best for her. She thinks about the future, but running away with a boy she just met isn’t in it. Nedjma wants Mehdi out of her life after he acts like a dick. A lot of men have gotten on Nedjma’s bad side. Nedjma has seen a lot of ugliness in men. Almost every man she comes across acts like a huge dick in front of her. They don’t accept women who don’t cover themselves. Nedjma doesn’t need a man to be happy. My guess is she is sick of them. What would really make her happy is living life the way she wants to.
Nedjma knows there is more to life than boys. She won’t choose them over what she is most passionate about. Wassila is blinded by love. Nedjma knows Karim is bad news, but Wassila chooses not to believe it. Nedjma and Wassila get into an argument, and say things they don’t actually mean. Wassila thinks Nedjma should have a life instead of thinking about fashion all the time, but fashion is her life, and she wants to spend the rest of it designing beautiful clothing. Later, Wassila learns that Nedjma was right about everything. Karim gave Wassila a black eye after learning she attends a school for fashion.
Nedjma and Wassila couldn’t stay mad at each other. Their friendship means everything. Same goes for the others, Samira and Kahina. Terrorists have broken into Nedjma’s room and made a mess of things. Nedjma hates them so much. All terrorists do is damage things. Samira and Kahina manage to cheer her up. They have fixed Nedjma’s clothes by re-sowing them. They believe in this show, and they want Nedjma to be their leader. Nedjma shouldn’t give up. They’ve been planning this show for sometime, and the show must go on. She has great support from her friends, and everyone else at the school.
It’s the night of the fashion show, Nedjma’s time has come to shine, and the models are glowing in the dresses she designed herself. As the models come out, the camera is in a position where the light is and making it a flare shot. You get to see a better look at the models as they come closer. The lighting in the room is as warm as gold. Everyone is having a good time, and the models look fabulous. It almost looked like there was going to be happy ending. The show was going fine, and the night was beautiful, but then it got ruined. Terrorists break in, and cause panic and death.
The school is the women's place, and they should do as they please inside. It’s all over for the school now. The place has shut down. This was Nedjma's future, and now terrorists have killed it. The terrorists have taken so much from Nedjma. The terrorists killed one of Nedjma’s friends, Kahina. Terrorists have already killed Nedjma’s sister Linda, and now they’ve killed another sister. And Kahina was dreaming about being a fashion designer in Canada. They also killed Nedjma's show.
Everything that is fun is now just memories. Nedjma is going mental for feeling miserable. She has been through more than she can handle. All terrorists do is destroy everything that is Nedjma, leaving nothing but hate and sadness. It’s hard to find peace in Algeria. Nedjma's mother hates to see her depressed. She knows what the terrorists have done is unforgivably cruel. The mother is very understanding, and is always there for Nedjma. She is a kind soul.
Before she was murdered, Linda showed how much she loves Nedjma, and Nedjma appreciated it. It’s a good thing Linda showed her love because it was the last time Nedjma was going to feel a hug and kiss from her sister. Nedjma goes to Linda’s grave to plant her favorite flower. Nedjma loved Linda deeply, and she misses her so much. It still hurts Nedjma that Linda is gone. Her mother is there to soothe her.
Nedjma’s ending can’t be miserable. Nedjma has calmed down. Samira has been resented, and Nedjma and her mother take her in. The mother doesn’t want to see another woman in tears. She makes those hurtful feelings go away, and replaces them with kindness. Nedjma and her mother will help Samira raise her baby. Samira isn't welcomed into the family because she is family, and always has been. I don’t think there is anyone in Algeria who is as nice as Nedjma’s mother. Men have shown their cruel side to Nedjma’s friends.
Being surrounded by loved ones helps make Nedjma feel happy again. Nedjma will never give up on fashion, and she still believes she is going to make it. There is always hope.
My rating on “Papicha” is four and a half out of five stars
