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The Sidi Bel Abbès Local Professional Theatre Festival honored Kamel Mustapha Bendimrad, an influential theatre critic. This tribute highlighted his significant contribution to theatre and the importance of criticism in the development of Algerian theatre.
This event, held last Thursday at the Oran Abdelkader Alloula Regional Theater, not only celebrated Bendimerad’s contribution to the theatrical field, but also highlighted the importance of criticism in the evolution of Algerian theater.
Bendimerad, who has devoted his life to analyzing and writing about theater, expressed surprise and gratitude at the tribute. “Never before have I seen an artist honor a critic, except today, when the festival honored me,” he said.
He stressed the importance of theatre criticism for raising the artistic and cultural level. He recalled that theatre, by nature, is a source of surprise and creativity. “In a one-hour play, you will find five minutes of real creativity,” he said, emphasizing that these moments of genius are what make theatre so captivating.
Bendimrad also shared personal memories of his entry into the art world, attributing his initiation to his aunt, an art and cinema enthusiast. “I was lucky to have an aunt who ran a workshop and was very interested in art, especially the singer Rachid Ksentini. She was also passionate about cinema. She introduced me to art.”
One of the central points of Bendimerad’s intervention was the preservation of Algerian theatrical memory. He expressed his concerns about the lack of archives for plays, wondering where more than 60 years of theater productions in Algeria have gone. “Without memory, we do not exist,” he insisted, evoking emblematic figures of Algerian theater such as Abderahmane Kaki, M’hamed Benguettaf, Mahieddine Bachtarzi and Abdelkader Alloula. For Bendimerad, these personalities have carried the torch of Algerian theater high and it is essential to return to the archives to properly document their contribution and avoid errors.
Originally from Tlemcen, Bendimerad speaks fluent French, Arabic and German, and has rubbed shoulders with the greatest men of Algerian theater. His journalistic career, which began as soon as Algeria gained independence, is now approaching 90 years. He has observed that the diversity of theatrical productions contributes to raising the level of criticism, thus enriching the cultural panorama of the country. “I witnessed the beginnings of the great Algerian playwrights and I learned a lot from them, like Abdelmalek Bouguermouh and Benaissa, among others,” he stressed.
For Bendimerad, documentation is crucial to writing accurate articles and avoiding mistakes. “When you do documentation, you have to go back to the archives to avoid making mistakes. This is especially what I do for my articles because I’m afraid of making mistakes.” This rigor and passion for precision have made him a respected figure in the world of theater criticism.
The festival organizers were warmly thanked for this unprecedented initiative. Dedicating an edition to theater criticism is a first that leaves its mark and underlines the importance of criticism in the evolution and recognition of theater. Bendimerad expressed his gratitude to the organizers who thought of him for this special tribute.
Kamel Bendimerad, theatre critic and former journalist for the Algerian Press Agency (APS), saw his career highlighted through a documentary screened at the opening of the Festival. This film traces his exceptional career and highlights his many contributions to theatre criticism and cultural media.