** Tribute to Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina: a journey through history and art **
The world of cinema has just lost an emblematic figure: Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, Algerian director and producer, who died on May 23, 2023 at the age of 95. His death coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the Palme d’Or he received for his masterpiece, *Chronicle of the Broans years *, at the Cannes Film Festival. This tragic event underlines the depth of his cinematographic and cultural heritage, while he leaves behind a work that tells not only the history of his country, but also that of a whole generation.
### A historic marker
Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina has marked the history of African and Arabic cinema being the only filmmaker of these regions to have won the Palme d’Or. His career was shaped by his commitment to the struggle for the independence of Algeria, a period which deeply influenced his work. His film *The wind of the Aurès *, which received the prize from the first work in 1967, is a fresco which approaches the struggle of the Algerian people for its freedom in a context of war. Indeed, this tumultuous period also touched his family personally, with his father having been the victim of colonial violence.
Hamina knew, thanks to his art, to give a voice to the Algerian people and to explore the complexities of their identity. By projecting *Chronicle of the Broans years *, the Cannes Film Festival not only traced part of the Algerian history but also revived a collective memory. While his son, Malik Lakhdar Hamina, spoke of this tribute as a reminder of past struggles, he stressed the importance of art as a vector of memory and resistance.
### Transmission of an inheritance
The death of Hamina raises reflections on the transmission of his inheritance. In a context of globalization and acceleration of cultural exchanges, how to preserve the richness of local accounts while inscribing them in a global dialogue? The question is particularly relevant to African cinema, which is struggling to find its place on the international scene. The recognition of figures like Hamina opens the way to a broader reflection on the diversity of voices in the film industry.
The contemporary challenges faced by African filmmakers, such as the lack of funding and limited visibility, call for collective responsibility. How can we, as a company, redouble their efforts to support the talented creators of the continent, while preserving their connection with their cultural roots?
### to the future: reflections and challenges
While the Cannes Film Festival paid tribute to Hamina, this event also highlighted the persistent challenges of African cinema. With a 2025 Cannes 2025 agenda already turned to the future, the question remains open: what future do we want for African cinema on the international scene? It seems essential to find a balance between valuation of local stories and invoke solidarity worldwide among filmmakers.
The challenges that the film industry faces, in particular in terms of financing, visibility and recognition, can be brakes on highlighting African stories. However, the quality and universality of works of art, like those of Hamina, prove that these stories deserve to be heard.
### Conclusion
Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina leaves behind not only memorable films but also a lesson on resilience and commitment through cinema. His journey reminds each of us the importance of preserving memory and encouraging African artistic voice on the world scene.
By evoking his inheritance, it is not only a question of crying a loss, but of celebrating a journey that marked the cultural history of an entire nation. While cinema continues to evolve, the influence of Hamina must result in an incentive to explore, tell and transmit stories – stories that shed light on our collective identities and connect us in our shared humanity.