Overview

• Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, the only Arab and African filmmaker to win Cannes' Palme d'Or, passed away on May 23, 2025, at his home in Algiers, aged 95.
• His 1975 Palme d'Or-winning film 'Chronique des années de braise' depicted Algeria's journey to independence from 1939 to 1954.
• A Cannes Classics tribute honored Hamina with a 4K screening of 'Chronique des années de braise' during the 2025 festival.
• Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune lauded Hamina as a 'giant of world cinema' and highlighted his contributions as a moudjahid and cultural bridge.
• Hamina’s career spanned over five decades, with works rooted in Algeria’s anti-colonial struggle and his personal experiences during the Algerian War.