Halfaouine: Child of the Terraces

What can one do to explore the shape and form of a women’s physique when one lives in a society where women are fully covered and veiled up to the eyes? It is this question that bedevils little Noura and compels him to challenge his older friends.

At the same time, he dreams of fearful ogres and a kidnapped princess who is omnipresent in his mother’s tales. He finds in Salih, the shoemaker of the district – an wilful listener and experienced advisor on the affairs of the opposite sex – Salih is also a singer and a faithful disciple of the divine whisky bottle – a libertine and humoristic poet and of course a great seducer of women. The real pillar of this friendship is forged in stone when Noura also learns that Salih only makes shoes for women. —African Film Library