Algiers — The President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, underscored on Sunday that the National Cinema Conference needs to bring about recommendations that would help restore Algerian cinema to its former glory.
Speaking at the National Cinema Conference's opening ceremony at the Abdelatif-Rahal International Conference Center (CIC) in Algiers, the President of the Republic expressed hope that the conference would produce "results and recommendations that can restore Algerian cinema to its former glory." He reassured industry professionals of state funding for their projects.
Addressing the participants, President Tebboune declared: "Creativity is unrestricted -- you have complete artistic freedom in your work, with the sole exception of anything that might undermine Algeria."
"The State stands ready to provide both land and financing to investors in this sector," he continued, with a view to "fostering a cultural climate that promotes greater progress and development for our country."
The President of the Republic stressed that "our country has set out on a new path of development to achieve developed-nation status, with cultural advancement as the jewel in our crown."
He added that he "chose to put off this conference until now, so we could hold it at our current economic level."
In this regard, President Tebboune reaffirmed that "our country is on its way to becoming an emerging nation."
Commending Algerian cinema's rich heritage, the President of the Republic paid tribute to "all those who contributed to its glory, both nationals and international friends."
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Algerian cinema "was also born from the National Liberation Revolution," he noted.
President Tebboune further said that this conference mirrors his interest in culture as well as the audiovisual sector as one of its key components, along with demonstrating his commitment to the "aspirations of creative artists and intellectuals in the film industry."
The goal, he said, is to "revitalize the industry while drawing inspiration from the foundation laid by our cinematic pioneers."
In this regard, the President of the Republic called for "shaping the future of Algerian cinema through innovative ideas and fresh perspectives for this dynamic industry, ensuring it truly captures Algerian identity and bolsters our pride in our traditions and our society's cultural heritage."
He further expressed pride in the achievements of Algeria's cinema pioneers, hoping the industry would reclaim its former glory in "the country of the million and a half martyrs, the land of history and resistance."
President Tebboune noted that Algerian cinema has documented "the suffering of the Algerian people during 132 years" of colonization, as well as "all the challenges our country overcame to reach where we are today."
