Garagouz awarded Best Short Film at Saguenay International Festival

Algeria Short film “Garagouz” won the International Short Film Festival Award in Saguenay Canada, producer Yacine Laalaoui said here on Sunday.

“Garagouz” 24 minutes, directed by Abdenour Zahzah, editing (Franssou Prenant), music (Toti Basso), Acting (Mahmed Irki, Youçef Abbas, Tahar Benayachi), and based on fiction, tells the story of Mokhtar who earns his living as a puppeteer. He is aided by his son who is learning to become a puppeteer also. Using his old van, he moves between the few schools scattered in the gloomy countryside in order to spread joy and bring some hope and life to the inhabitants.

The short film, produced in 2010, won nine international awards, including the “Golden Colt” at the 22^nd Edition of Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) organized from 26 February to March 5 in the capital of Burkina Faso, and the “Award of Jury” at Dubai Interantional Film Festival on December 2010.

“Garagouz” is the first work based on fiction by Abdenour Zahzah who directed 10 works, including films and documentaries.

The short film sponsored by Lithe Production Agency, the Fund for Supporting Cinematographic Industry and Techniques and the Italian Culture Center in Algiers.