A great figure in theater and cinema in Algeria, Ahmed Benaissa died in Cannes during the festival this Friday, May 20, “struck down by uneasiness“. It was the Algerian Minister of Culture and the Arts, Soraya Mouloudji, who announced the sad news, paying tribute to a “monument” whose work will leave “an indelible imprint on the world of Algerian cinema and theater“. According to the official Algerian agency APS, the one who had fifty years of career to his credit will be repatriated and buried in Algeria.
Ahmed Benaissa was at the Cannes Film Festival on the occasion of the screening of Goutte d’or, a feature film directed by Clément Cogitore and which he starred in. During this screening, which took place this Friday, his disappearance obviously caused great emotion. An empty seat was placed in his honor and French comedian Karim Leklou paid tribute to him saying he was his “movie dad“, as reported by journalist Jean-Baptiste Morel on social networks. Ahmed Benaissa was known to have played more than 120 roles including those in films Papicha, From Hollywood to Tamanrasset, Blood of Wolves et Outlaw.
Emotion at the @weekcannes for the session of #GouttedOr. One of the film’s actors, Ahmed Benaissa, died today. A seat for him was left empty.
Karim Leklou, moved, speaks of him as his “cinema father” (and his “best acting experience” on this film) pic.twitter.com/y3117XMOEo— Jean-Baptiste Morel (@JB__Morel) May 20, 2022
Hugo Mallais