Sueur noire

In 1954, in Ouenza, a major mining village in north-eastern Algeria, a minority of European settlers dominate and exploit thousands of Algerian workers. In this context marked by social injustice and segregation, Amine Boularès, a young student arbitrarily expelled from college, is forced to work in the mine.

Confronted with the harsh reality of the working world, he discovers poverty, the division between workers and the paternalism of French technicians. His encounter with Idir, a committed and courageous activist, awakens a new consciousness in him. Together, they oppose the manoeuvres of a colonial administration led by Borsocq, a former military administrator, and denounce union corruption.

When the general strike breaks out, the repression is brutal. But in the midst of this ordeal, the miners become aware of their national identity and the need to unite their struggle with that of the Algerian people for freedom and revolution.^[2]

Source:^[3][4]

• **Director:** Sid Ali Mazif
• **Screenplay:** Hamid Abdallah and Sid Ali Mazif
• **Original title:** العَرَق الأسود
• **Country:** Algeria
• **Runtime:** 100 minutes
• **Year:** 1971

The film addresses worker exploitation, political awareness, colonial repression and class solidarity. It is part of a committed post-independence Algerian cinema movement focused on social memory and the representation of popular struggles.^[2][4]

Sueur noire is Sid Ali Mazif's first feature film, made during the early years of Algerian cinema, when the state and several cultural organisations favoured social and historical narratives. It was originally shot in 16 mm and then transferred to 35 mm for certain screenings^[5]

• Following the death of director Sid Ali Mazif in May 2023, several tributes and mentions of his work — including Sueur noire — were published by the Algerian press and local film organisations.^[6][7]
• In 2018, the Algerian Film Library organised events commemorating Sid Ali Mazif's work and filmography, highlighting the preservation and promotion of his films.^[8]
• Local film festivals and film libraries included Sueur noire in their retrospectives on classic Algerian cinema.^[7]