Rachida

Let me take a deep breath first...

Rachida
Directed by Yamina Bachir-Chouikh
Featuring Ibtissem Djouadi and Bahia Rachedi
Algeria, 2002, 100 minutes
Arabic and French with English subtitles

Rachida is confident, young, elementary school teacher in Algeria. On her way to work one morning, she is stopped by a group of extremists who want her to take a bomb into the school where she teaches. She refuses. The events that unfold following her courageous refusal reveal the tragic consequences of the recent conflict in Algeria for ordinary people, especially women. This award-winning film presents an unflinching look at violence and offers hopeful glimpses of a different future.


Just came from the second movie of the Film Week at KU, Rachida. (I wrote this yesterday December 3rd, but posted it today)
I can say that I spent almost the entire time watching the movie with my hand over my mouth!
It’s so, so moving! So shocking! Wether it’s real or not, and I guess it was real for some period of time, perhaps during the nineties.

The last scene of the film, showing the children go back to school even after it was destroyed. It moved me so much! I mean the children are the future of every nation, and it’s so obvious that sometimes people sorta forget this fact!
Algeria was devastated by the terror spread all over the country, even in the smallest of villages. Despite all the confusion, you can see the innocence of the little children in the movie. One boy’s aunt was kidnapped by the terrorists and was raped. She managed to escape and return to the village, but she wasn’t welcomed back home. Her nephew however saw that she was innocent. That is innocence!
However, the boys at school bullied him just for being her nephew. Even though the teacher - Rachida - stopped them, I think she should’ve at least warned them from bullying each other, or despising someone for something that is not his fault. I mean thats the essence of terrorism! Isn’t it? Hatred.

So, when Rachida writes on the board: “Today’s Lesson”
I guess that should’ve been the lesson to the children, to love one another, to have sympathy for one another, to help one another. I guess thats what I came out with..