Soula

Soula Bahri plays herself in Salah Issaad’s debut feature, a road movie about a young single mother rejected by her family for dishonouring them and by a society that does not care about people like her. Trying to make it through the night with her baby, she sets out along the roads of Algeria only to find herself caught up, through a series of unfortunate encounters, in a spiral of violence. Soula is an extraordinary portrait of a woman under pressure, both from those closest to her and a society riddled with contradictions.

Directed by Issaad Salah, Soula leans on a strong ensemble — Soula Bahri, Idir Benaibouche, Franck Yvrai — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2021.