MASCARADES/Austin Film Society

An utterly delightful comedy from Algeria was the last film in the Children of Abraham/Ibrahim series this evening.  Written/directed/and leading man is the terrifically talented Lyes Salem.  His use of dialogue, local villagers and trained actors, and talented physical actors to tell a story of a  man who is yearning to be important, special, respected works so well.  The principal character  makes up a story about an arranged marriage between his narcoleptic sister and a wealthy man in the city.  All goes wrong when his sister spins a bigger tale to his surprise as she really wants to marry her local sweetheart.  The characters in this family (wife, son, sister) are all provided with great freedom of speech and rip at each other hysterically.  The yentas in the town provide the energy underneath the story and the three old wise men observing the whole event are adorable.  Mr. Salem was trained in France, had great opportunity to act in Paris but felt a calling to work and make films in his homeland.  Algeria and the world is fortunate for that.  Chale's program notes provided great historical perspective about the civil wars of the 90's, the terrorist attacks on cinema theaters and the sad fact that Algerians don't go out in the evenings because of bomb threats.  Mr. Salem and other Algerian filmmakers are hopeful about changing  that.