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‘The Last Queen’: Algeria’s revolutionary first costume drama

It has all the ingredients of a typical historical epic: a glamorous queen, two warrior suitors and a tragic end. But as film critic Ben Croll explains, “The Last Queen” is a revolution for Algerian cinema. It’s the country’s first-ever costume drama, and directors Adila Bendimerad and Damien Ounouri spent over a decade finding funding for their project celebrating a pre-colonial Algeria.

Ben Croll tells us why documentaries are having a moment in the spotlight after sweeping a series of recent festivals, including this year’s Berlinale winner, “On the Adamant”, about a floating mental health care facility.

We also look at “Blue Jean”, a powerful drama about queer life in Margaret Thatcher’s England.

And we end with the re-release of a 1975 film recently declared the greatest of all time: Chantal Akerman’s “Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles”.

Source: France24.com