HELIOPOLIS

In the city of Guelma, which was once called Heliopolis in ancient times, the daily life of an Algerian family takes its usual course. But on 8 May, 1945, the day the end of World War II was announced, demonstrations by the Algerian people against the French colonial power and for the country’s independence took place, and were bloodily suppressed by the French army and French settler militias.

Inspired by real events, this period drama traces the beginning of the tragic events of 8 May 1945 and the massacres of Sétif, Guelma and Kherrata in Algeria during French colonization. A rarely explored topic in film, the official theatrical release in Algeria took place in May 2021 and sold out in most cities of the country.