This Algerian debut pairs the exorcism genre with the country's generational trauma.
After a car crash in 1993, amnesiac Ahmed returns home in bandages. His kid is afraid of him, and nightly visitors speak in strange tongues. Ahmed's neighbour also makes him uncomfortable, leaving him questioning everything. In the present day, an ageing exorcist is battling Alzheimer’s, while his assistant fears this may unleash an ancient evil.
In his debut feature, Algerian director Yanis Koussim pairs the exorcism genre with the violent and traumatic past of his homeland. While part of Roqia is set during Algeria’s Black Decade (1992-2002), the present-day storyline shows how violence is still very much psychologically and culturally present. The film is ambiguous throughout, letting the supernatural elements emerge from memory, loss and beliefs. Through his cinematography and use of sound, Koussim creates unease in both the violent and the quieter moments. Intense and intimate, Roqia is not your average possession film, but a look into generational pain and fear.
On Saturday, November 1st, director Yanis Koussim will join us for a Q&A.
