BIN U BIN

SUMMARY

"Bin u bin" is an Algerian expression describing a state of wavering, uncertainty between two conflicting choices. The border is the embodiment of this expression for Saad Zenir, the film’s main character, who carries it as both a talisman and a state of mind. Each time he crosses the border, Saad forms a connection with it, and it becomes a springboard for his reclaiming of himself and his great regret — his love story. But the border also turns into a political battlefield in which Saad becomes involved, accelerating the fate of his friend and family.

Red Sea International Film Festival:
“The film is harsh and gripping, with a tense atmosphere supported by a dynamic soundtrack, and it deeply explores themes of family, friendship, and daily survival.”

Francophone Film Festival of Angoulême:
“BIN U BIN is a film rooted in the realistic and violent context of fuel smuggling, occasionally shifting into a family chronicle, but it also explores the magic of collective imagination. It deconstructs the dynamics at play within Algerian cross-border society.”

 

Fiction – 2024 – 100 min – Algeria/France
Writer-Director: Mohamed Lakhdar TATI
Screenplay: Mohamed Lakhdar TATI, Jean-Pierre MORILLON
Cast: Salim KECHIOUCHE, Slimane DAZI, Idir BENAIBOUCHE, Hanaa MANSOUR, Mabrouk FERROUDJI, Kheir Eddine CHICHI, Ali DJEBARA, Hassan BENZERARI, Houbidi BARAKA, and Hasnat HASNI
Producers: Florent COULON, Youcef KRACHE, Camille CHANDELLIER
Cinematography: Tariel MELIAVA
Editing: Céline CANARD
Sound: Amine TEGGAR
Sound Editing: Raphaël BIGAUD, Mikaël BARRE
Music: Jacob STAMBACH
Production Designer: Lamine AMRANI
Co-production: La Petite Prod, France – La Chambre Claire, Algeria
With the support of FDATIC (production grant), Pays de la Loire Region (production grant), Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region (development grant – F.I.L.M. fund), and writing support from the Institut Français d’Algérie

Festivals:

  • Red Sea International Film Festival – Saudi Arabia – 2024

  • Francophone Film Festival of Angoulême – Nouveaux Regards – France – 2025

  • Bejaïa Cinematographic Encounters, Opening Film – Algeria – 2025

  • Mediterranean Film Festival of Annaba – Algeria – 2025