Italy took part in the second Timimoun International Short Film Festival, held from 5 to 10 November 2026 in southern Algeria. Italy’s participation, supported by the Italian Cultural Institute in Algiers, envisaged two short films in the official competition, the presence of an Italian professional on the international jury and the involvement of experts in training activities.
The programme opened with La Question, a 2026 short film directed by Alberto Segre, a Turin-born director based in France, which tells the story of the journalist Henri Alleg, who was arrested and tortured in Algiers in 1957 during the Algerian War, addressing the topics of historical memory, censorship and freedom of the press.
The selected Italian films were Dietro le quinte. La Passione di Didone (16′), by Nadia Kibout, a contemporary reinterpretation of the myth of Dido set in Venosa, Basilicata, and Il ponte (17′), by Giacomo Bendotti, exploring the topics of memory, uprooting and the Istrian exodus. The event was also attended by Giusy Buemi, artistic director of the Verona’s African Film Festival, and Stefano Tealdi, film producer, founder of the company Stefilm and an expert in documentary production, involved in the Cine Labs dedicated to training and the development of audiovisual projects.
On 12 November, the Italian Cultural Institute in Algiers will host an evening event dedicated to the Festival, featuring a screening of the three short films and a round-table discussion entitled Cinema senza frontiere – I festival come ponti tra Algeria e Italia. (Cinema without Borders – Festivals as Bridges between Algeria and Italy). Speakers will include Hassan Kechache, a well-known Algerian actor; Nassim Belkaïd, a journalist and film industry professional; Giusy Buemi; and Stefano Tealdi. Directors Nadia Kibout and Giacomo Bendotti will also take part via videoconference.
The initiative enhances the role of festivals as opportunities for people to come together, for the circulation of films and for international collaboration, thus reaffirming the Italian Cultural Institute’s commitment to promoting Italian cinema in Algeria and strengthening cultural dialogue between the two countries.
