Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche

Directing

Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche

Beni Zid, Algeria

Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche is a Franco-Algerian filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He moved to France in 1968 and grew up in Montfermeil, on the outskirts of Paris. After studying sociology, he founded his own production company, Sarrazinc Productions, in 1999. His debut feature film, Wesh Wesh, qu'est-ce qui se passe? (2001), received the Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film. Ameur-Zaïmeche's films often explore themes of identity, migration, and social justice, with a focus on marginalized communities. His notable works include Wesh wesh, qu'est-ce qui se passe?(2001) and Dernier Maquis (2008) and Le Gang des Bois du Temple (2023).

Acting credits

Smugglers' Songs poster
5.5

Early on in this engaging historical drama, a marquis (played by the singularly droll Jacques Nolot) offers a peddler a carriage ride on a remote country road. After sizing up his benefactor, the peddler fights motion sickness to deliver his sales pitch: “I have here a few objects of wonder, pious images, pamphlets against men of the cloth, newspapers from Amsterdam and London, holy cards, quills, writing paper…”

Smugglers' Songs

2012

The Temple Woods Gang poster
5.9

A retired military man lives in the Temple Woods housing project. Just as he’s burying his mother, his neighbour Bébé, who belongs to a gang of robbers from the area, is preparing to rob the convoy of a wealthy Arab prince.

The Temple Woods Gang

2022

Bled Number One poster
5.2

Hardly freed from a French prison, Kamel is deported in his native state, Algeria, and discovers a country split between modernity and tradition.

Bled Number One

2006

Story of Judas poster
6.1

A man ascends a barren summit. It is Judas, come to collect Jesus and carry him down the mountain on his back, joking and panting as he does so. After bathing in the river and taking part in a henna ceremony, Jesus leaves for Jerusalem. Judas is concerned for his friend’s safety, since the Roman occupiers look upon the prophet as an insurgent.

Story of Judas

2015

Wesh, Wesh, What's Happening? poster
6.3

Kamel, a young man from the french ghetto, near Paris, is coming back to France. He was arrested for dealing drugs, he spent five years in jail and was banned from France for two years. He tries, with his family's support, to find a job and live a normal life. But nothing's normal in the ghetto.

Wesh, Wesh, What's Happening?

2001

Behind the camera

South Terminal poster
5.2

In a Mediterranean country plunging into armed conflict, a doctor tries to do his duty against all odds, until the day his destiny is turned upside down…

South Terminal

2019

South Terminal poster
5.2

In a Mediterranean country plunging into armed conflict, a doctor tries to do his duty against all odds, until the day his destiny is turned upside down…

South Terminal

2019

South Terminal poster
5.2

In a Mediterranean country plunging into armed conflict, a doctor tries to do his duty against all odds, until the day his destiny is turned upside down…

South Terminal

2019

Algerican Road poster
NR

Slimane, an old, weary, and sick trucker, and Smaïn, his loader, are tasked with transporting a cargo deep into the Algerian Sahara. Along the way, they are violently attacked and their truck is stolen. When Anna, a young French researcher, and Sofiane, her traveling companion, come to their aid, the film plunges with them into the desert.

Algerican Road

2026

Algerican Road poster
NR

Slimane, an old, weary, and sick trucker, and Smaïn, his loader, are tasked with transporting a cargo deep into the Algerian Sahara. Along the way, they are violently attacked and their truck is stolen. When Anna, a young French researcher, and Sofiane, her traveling companion, come to their aid, the film plunges with them into the desert.

Algerican Road

2026

Smugglers' Songs poster
5.5

Early on in this engaging historical drama, a marquis (played by the singularly droll Jacques Nolot) offers a peddler a carriage ride on a remote country road. After sizing up his benefactor, the peddler fights motion sickness to deliver his sales pitch: “I have here a few objects of wonder, pious images, pamphlets against men of the cloth, newspapers from Amsterdam and London, holy cards, quills, writing paper…”

Smugglers' Songs

2012

Smugglers' Songs poster
5.5

Early on in this engaging historical drama, a marquis (played by the singularly droll Jacques Nolot) offers a peddler a carriage ride on a remote country road. After sizing up his benefactor, the peddler fights motion sickness to deliver his sales pitch: “I have here a few objects of wonder, pious images, pamphlets against men of the cloth, newspapers from Amsterdam and London, holy cards, quills, writing paper…”

Smugglers' Songs

2012

Smugglers' Songs poster
5.5

Early on in this engaging historical drama, a marquis (played by the singularly droll Jacques Nolot) offers a peddler a carriage ride on a remote country road. After sizing up his benefactor, the peddler fights motion sickness to deliver his sales pitch: “I have here a few objects of wonder, pious images, pamphlets against men of the cloth, newspapers from Amsterdam and London, holy cards, quills, writing paper…”

Smugglers' Songs

2012

The Temple Woods Gang poster
5.9

A retired military man lives in the Temple Woods housing project. Just as he’s burying his mother, his neighbour Bébé, who belongs to a gang of robbers from the area, is preparing to rob the convoy of a wealthy Arab prince.

The Temple Woods Gang

2022

The Temple Woods Gang poster
5.9

A retired military man lives in the Temple Woods housing project. Just as he’s burying his mother, his neighbour Bébé, who belongs to a gang of robbers from the area, is preparing to rob the convoy of a wealthy Arab prince.

The Temple Woods Gang

2022

Bled Number One poster
5.2

Hardly freed from a French prison, Kamel is deported in his native state, Algeria, and discovers a country split between modernity and tradition.

Bled Number One

2006

Bled Number One poster
5.2

Hardly freed from a French prison, Kamel is deported in his native state, Algeria, and discovers a country split between modernity and tradition.

Bled Number One

2006

Bled Number One poster
5.2

Hardly freed from a French prison, Kamel is deported in his native state, Algeria, and discovers a country split between modernity and tradition.

Bled Number One

2006

Dernier maquis poster
5.8

Talk of living wages and religious observances upsets the delicate accord between the boss of a run-down truck yard and his workers in this visually arresting take on the French-Algerian immigrant experience.

Dernier maquis

2008

Dernier maquis poster
5.8

Talk of living wages and religious observances upsets the delicate accord between the boss of a run-down truck yard and his workers in this visually arresting take on the French-Algerian immigrant experience.

Dernier maquis

2008

Story of Judas poster
6.1

A man ascends a barren summit. It is Judas, come to collect Jesus and carry him down the mountain on his back, joking and panting as he does so. After bathing in the river and taking part in a henna ceremony, Jesus leaves for Jerusalem. Judas is concerned for his friend’s safety, since the Roman occupiers look upon the prophet as an insurgent.

Story of Judas

2015

Story of Judas poster
6.1

A man ascends a barren summit. It is Judas, come to collect Jesus and carry him down the mountain on his back, joking and panting as he does so. After bathing in the river and taking part in a henna ceremony, Jesus leaves for Jerusalem. Judas is concerned for his friend’s safety, since the Roman occupiers look upon the prophet as an insurgent.

Story of Judas

2015

Story of Judas poster
6.1

A man ascends a barren summit. It is Judas, come to collect Jesus and carry him down the mountain on his back, joking and panting as he does so. After bathing in the river and taking part in a henna ceremony, Jesus leaves for Jerusalem. Judas is concerned for his friend’s safety, since the Roman occupiers look upon the prophet as an insurgent.

Story of Judas

2015

Wesh, Wesh, What's Happening? poster
6.3

Kamel, a young man from the french ghetto, near Paris, is coming back to France. He was arrested for dealing drugs, he spent five years in jail and was banned from France for two years. He tries, with his family's support, to find a job and live a normal life. But nothing's normal in the ghetto.

Wesh, Wesh, What's Happening?

2001

Wesh, Wesh, What's Happening? poster
6.3

Kamel, a young man from the french ghetto, near Paris, is coming back to France. He was arrested for dealing drugs, he spent five years in jail and was banned from France for two years. He tries, with his family's support, to find a job and live a normal life. But nothing's normal in the ghetto.

Wesh, Wesh, What's Happening?

2001