Délice Paloma

Madame Aldjeras is released from prison after three years behind bars. Sheherazade, her former accomplice, gives her the key to her apartment. Madame was previously a benefactor, and from this apartment she ran a company specialising in solving people's problems – how to get rid of bothersome husbands, secure building permits, or offering beautiful girls to lonely men. Paloma is a young innocent village girl who is taken under Madame’s wings – with great success. But suddenly it goes awfully wrong. Dèlice Paloma is an eventful film centred on a charismatic anti-heroine. It has refreshingly strong female characters, especially the unlikable Madame, who through dry wit and a lack of self-pity gradually wins our respect. cb

Nadir Moknèche is among Algeria's most famous directors, known for exploring sensitive social dramas. He was born in Paris and studied film and drama. Moknèche’s feature film debut was The Harem of Madame Osmane (2000), and for his next film, Viva Laldjéria (2004), he won the «La Vague» at the International Francophone Film Festival.