Sami Bouajila
Encyclopedia
Sami Bouajila is a French
award-winning actor of Tunisia
n origin.
Bouajila's grandfather was a Berber
born in Tripoli
, Libya
and immigrated to Tunisia
. Bouajila's father decided to immigrate to France in 1956. Sami was born and grew up in Échirolles
, a suburb south of Grenoble
. He studied theater.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
award-winning actor of Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n origin.
Bouajila's grandfather was a Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
born in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and immigrated to Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. Bouajila's father decided to immigrate to France in 1956. Sami was born and grew up in Échirolles
Échirolles
Échirolles is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Grenoble, and is adjacent to it on the south. In the 1999 census, Échirolles had a population of 35,383. Its inhabitants are called the Échirollois...
, a suburb south of Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
. He studied theater.
Filmography
- 2011: Omar Killed MeOmar Killed MeOmar Killed Me is a 2011 drama film directed by Roschdy Zem. The film has been selected as the Moroccan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.-Cast:* Sami Bouajila as Omar Raddad...
- 2010: Outside the LawOutside the Law (2010 film)Outside the Law is a 2010 drama film directed by Rachid Bouchareb, starring Jamel Debbouze, Roschdy Zem and Sami Bouajila. The story takes place between 1945 and 1962 and focuses on the lives of three Algerian brothers in France, set to the backdrop of the Algerian independence movement and the...
- 2010: De vrais mensonges as Jean
- 2009: Le Premier CercleLe Premier CercleLe Premier Cercle , also known as Inside Ring in English and as Ultimate Heist on USA video, is a 2009 French-language film by Laurent Tuel....
as Saunier - 2007: Les TémoinsThe WitnessesThe Witnesses is a 2007 French drama film directed by André Téchiné, starring Michel Blanc, Sami Bouajila, Emmanuelle Béart and Johan Libéreau. The film is set in Paris in 1984, the lives of a closely knit group of friends is disrupted with the sudden outbreak of AIDS epidemic. They are witnesses...
(The Witnesses) as Mehdi - 2007: Le Dernier gang as Casa
- 2007: 24 mesures as Chris
- 2006: Le Concile de Pierre as Lucas
- 2006: Indigènes (Days of Glory) as AbdelKader
- 2005: Zaïna, cavalière de l'Atlas as Mustapha
- 2005: Avant l'oubli as Augustin Burger
- 2003: Pas si grave as Charlie
- 2003: Léo, en jouant "Dans la compagnie des hommes" as Léonard
- 2003: La Légende de Parva as Agni (voice)
- 2002: Vivre me tue as Paul Smaïl
- 2002: Nid de guêpesThe NestThe Nest , also known as Nid de guêpes, is a French action/thriller movie, directed by Florent Emilio Siri. The literal translation of the French title is Wasp's Nest. The film is quasi-remake of the 1976 film, Assault on Precinct 13, which in turn was a remake of 1959's Rio Bravo.-Plot...
(The Nest) as Selim - 2002: Embrassez qui vous voudrez as Kévin
- 2001: La RépétitionReplay (2001 film)Replay is a 2001 French drama film directed by Catherine Corsini. It was entered into the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Emmanuelle Béart - Nathalie* Pascale Bussières - Louise* Dani Levy - Matthias * Jean-Pierre Kalfon - Walter Amar...
as Nicolas - 2001: Combats de femme - Libre à tout prix (TV) as the supervisor
- 2001: Change moi ma vie as Fidel
- 2000: Nouvelle de la tour L as "Le dealer"
- 2000: La Faute à Voltaire as Jallel
- 2000: Faites comme si je n'étais pas là as Tom
- 2000: Drôle de FélixDrôle de FélixDrôle de Félix is a 2000 French film, a road movie written and directed by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau. It stars Sami Bouajila as the title character.- Plot :Félix, a young gay man of Arab descent, living in Dieppe, is currently unemployed and HIV positive...
by Jacques MartineauJacques MartineauJacques Martineau is a French film director and screenwriter who works in collaboration with partner Olivier Ducastel.- Biography :...
and Olivier DucastelOlivier DucastelOlivier Ducastel is a French film director, screenwriter and sound editor who currently works in collaboration with partner Jacques Martineau.- Biography :...
as Félix - 2000: Douce France
- 1999: Nos vies heureuses as Ali
- 1999: La Peur du vide
- 1999: Inséparables as Boris
- 1998: Une voix en or (TV feature)
- 1998: The SiegeThe SiegeThe Siege is a 1998 American thriller film directed by Edward Zwick. The film is about a fictional situation in which terrorist cells have made several attacks on New York City...
as Samir Nazhde - 1997: Né quelque part as Driss Bourafia
- 1997: Le Déménagement as Jean
- 1997: ArtemisiaArtemisia (film)Artemisia is a 1997 French/Italian/German biographical film about Artemisia Gentileschi, the female Italian Baroque painter. The film was directed by Agnès Merlet, and stars Valentina Cervi and Michel Serrault.-Cast:...
as the assistant of Tassi - 1996: Anna Oz as Marc
- 1995: Bye-ByeBye-Bye (film)Bye-Bye is a 1995 French drama film directed by Karim Dridi. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Sami Bouajila - Ismael* Nozha Khouadra - Yasmine* Philippe Ambrosini - Ludo...
as Ismaël - 1994: Les Silences du palais (Samt el qusur) as Lofti
- 1993: L'Avocat (The Hour of the Pig) as Mahmoud
- 1993: Les Histoires d'amour finissent mal... en général as Slim Touati
- 1991: La Thune as Kamel
Awards
- 2008: César Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Les TémoinsThe WitnessesThe Witnesses is a 2007 French drama film directed by André Téchiné, starring Michel Blanc, Sami Bouajila, Emmanuelle Béart and Johan Libéreau. The film is set in Paris in 1984, the lives of a closely knit group of friends is disrupted with the sudden outbreak of AIDS epidemic. They are witnesses...
of André TéchinéAndré TéchinéAndré Téchiné , is a French screenwriter and film director. He has had a long and distinguished career that places him among the best post-New Wave French film directors....
. - 2006: "Best Male Interpretation" at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival2006 Cannes Film FestivalThe 2006 Cannes Film Festival ran from May 17, 2006 to May 28, 2006. Twenty films from eleven countries were in competition for the Palme d'Or. The President of the Official Jury was Wong Kar-wai, the first Chinese director to preside over the jury....
for his role in Indigènes by Rachid BoucharebRachid BoucharebRachid Bouchareb is a French film director of Algerian descent.From 1977 to 1983, he worked as an assistant director for France’s state television production company, Société française de production . Subsequetly, he worked for broadcasters TF1 and Antenne 2... - 2000: "Best Young Actor" at the Festival du film romantique de Cabourg for his role in Drôle de FélixDrôle de FélixDrôle de Félix is a 2000 French film, a road movie written and directed by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau. It stars Sami Bouajila as the title character.- Plot :Félix, a young gay man of Arab descent, living in Dieppe, is currently unemployed and HIV positive...
.