Anouar H. Smaine

Anouar H. Smaine is an Algerian film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter. Born in 1976 in Algiers, Algeria, he comes from a family of artists, revolutionaries, and politicians. His father, Hadj Smaine, was a renowned Algerian French playwright, theatre actor, and director, known for his works such as 'The Battle of Algiers' and 'Chronicles of the years of Fire,' which won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. Smaine grew up traveling between Algiers, Constantine, and Paris before moving to the United States in his teen years. In the early 1990s, he witnessed the violent civil war in Algeria, which had a profound impact on his life and work.