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A rich and varied program.
The fourteenth edition of the National Puppet Theater Festival will be held from June 27 to 30 in Aïn Témouchent. This year again, the festival promises a rich and varied program, with 7 shows in official competition and 7 others presented out of competition in neighboring towns.
During a press conference organized this Saturday at the Algerian National Theater Mahieddine-Bachtarzi (TNA), the festival’s commissioner, Ali Bouchikh, revealed the main points of this highly anticipated event.
Placed under the slogan “Puppet theater… education and culture”. This event by the followers of this art, offers an exceptional opportunity to the country’s puppeteering troupes to present their shows and to connect with other actors in this artistic environment.
The opening evening will be dedicated to Gaza and will pay tribute to the victims of Zionist attacks. The commissioner declared that “the festival is financed by the Ministry of Culture and Arts with a budget of 4 million dinars. We looked for sponsors and additional subsidies from private companies, we received nothing.”
He emphasized the importance of puppetry as a form of theatrical art in its own right. “The puppet is composed of a text and a staging, which makes it a theatrical genre in its own right. It is dedicated to adults and children alike. The jury for this edition is made up of specialists in the field, namely Mohamed Bouich, Aissa Choual and Ali Nadji.
A biographical book project retracing the 14 editions of the festival is being produced for publication next year. “More than 200 shows by Algerian troupes have been presented since the creation of the festival. Some troops are still active and participate regularly, while others have ceased their activity. We decided to leave a trace of these past 14 editions in a biography.”
The organizers encourage the original creation of puppets and shows carrying messages and stories. “The puppet presented during the festival must be a confection, not a doll bought in a market. The show must have a theme, a goal, a message, a meaning. It must tell a story of heritage or something else,” explained the Festival commissioner.
Tributes will be paid to personalities who have given to this theatrical genre. They are Houari Abdelkhalek from the Oran regional theater and Bounaama Damou from Chlef.
The festival emphasizes a more dynamic approach to puppetry, encouraging artists to develop expressive movements, use captivating sound and light effects, as well as create careful costumes.
One of the major goals of this festival is to revitalize puppet theater and change the perception of this art as a simple literary genre. Traditionally, puppet theater in Algeria was often associated with story theater, where the manipulation of puppets was relegated to the background.
In addition, this event also offers training workshops intended for puppeteers and enthusiasts of this art. These workshops provide a unique opportunity to deepen technical and artistic skills, learn new puppet manipulation techniques and exchange knowledge with other artists in this field.
This event also plans to award prizes to the best performances. The Prize for the best complete show, with a reward of 120,000.00 DA, will reward a complete production which stands out for its artistic excellence and creativity. The Prize for best direction (70,000.00 DA) and the Prize for best text (70,000.00 DA) will reward the creative and narrative aspects. The Best Puppeteer Prize as well as the Jury Prize will also be named, each accompanied by a reward of 40,000.00 DA.
Beyond the event itself, the festival aims to create a lasting legacy by promoting collaboration and the development of networks between Algerian puppeteers. These initiatives help strengthen the artistic community in the field.