Passion or Profession: Filmmaker

Period: 1934–

A native of Msila, Lakhdar-Hamina is best known for his 1975 film Chronicle of the Years of Ember (Chronique des années de braise), which uses the perspective of a peasant to view the 14 years leading up to Algeria's 1954 revolution. The film won Lakhdar-Hamina the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm), the most prestigious award at the Cannes Film Festival. His later films include Vent de sable and Last Image (La dernière image).