Mohamed Fellag

Mohamed Fellag (born 31 March 1950 in Azeffoun, Tizi Ouzou) is an Algerian comedian, writer, humorist, and actor. In 1958, at the height of the Algerian war of independence, his father took him and his younger brother, for their safety, to stay with an aunt in Beni-Messous (then a very small village near Algiers) where they went to primary school. He did his secondary studies in Tizi-Ouzou (Ecole Jeanmaire and CEG.) He entered the School of Dramatic Arts of Algiers in 1968 and stayed there for four years performing in several theatres throughout Algeria.

Career From 1978 to 1985, he participated in several theatrical productions, before returning to Algeria in 1985 to join the National Theatre of Algeria to play the principal role in Eduardo De Filippo's production of L’Art de la Comédie. In 1986, he played in Ray Bradbury's Le Costume Blanc Couleur Glace à la Noix de Coco and created Les Aventures de Tchop, his first one-man show. He acted in a number of movies and TV shows during the period of turbulence in Algeria during the late 80s and early 90s. In 1989 he wrote the play Cocktail Khorotov and SOS Labès in 1990. He followed this in 1992 with Un bateau pour l'Australie-Babor Australia. In 1995, after a bomb explosion during one of his presentations, he moved first to Tunisia and then to France. There he found success on stage with his plays that confronted the social difficulties of France. He has appeared in numerous films, particularly since 2005, including the Oscar-nominated Monsieur Lazhar, for which he won a Canadian Genie Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Awards and prizes Prix du Syndicat de la Critique (Critics' Circle Award) – 1998 Prince Claus Award - 1999 Raymond Devos prize – 2003 Prix de la SACD de la Francophonie – 2003

Plays Cocktail Khorotov, 1989 SOS Labes, 1990 Un Bateau pour l'Australie, 1992 Djurdjurassic Bled, 1998 La Casbah, 2003 with Biyouna Le Dernier chameau, 2004. L'ère des Ninjas et Djurdjurassic (Les Dinosaures) in the théâtre of gymnase Marie-Bell, 2007

Publications Les Aventures de Tchop, 1965 Cocktail Khorotov, 1989 SOS Labes, 1990 Le Balcon de Djamila Djurdjurassique bled, 1999 Rue des petites daurades, novel, 2001 C'est à Alger, 2002 Comment réussir un bon petit couscous, 2003 Le Dernier chameau L'Allumeur de Rêves Berbères, 2007 Tous les Algériens sont des mécaniciens, 2009

Filmography 1983: Liberté, la nuit, by Philippe Garrel 1986: Sombrero by Rabah Boubras 1988: El Khamsa by Belkacem Hadjadj 1989: Hassan Niya 1989: « Lumières « by Jean-Pierre Llido 1990: De Hollywood à Tamanrasset 1998: Le Gone du Chaâba, by Christophe Ruggia 2001: Inch'Allah dimanche, by Yamina Benguigui 2002: Fleurs de sang, by 2003: Momo mambo, by Laïla Marrakchi 2005: Voisins, voisines, by Malik Chibane 2005: Rue des figuiers, by Yasmina Yahiaoui 2006: Michou d'Auber, by Thomas Gilou 2007: L'Ennemi intime, by Florent Emilio Siri 2009: The Barons 2010: Top Floor, Left Wing 2010: Bacon on the Side 2011: The Rabbi's Cat, by Joann Sfar 2011: Monsieur Lazhar, by Philippe Falardeau 2012: Zarafa by Rémi Bezançon and Jean-Christophe Lie 2012: What the Day Owes the Night, by Alexandre Arcady