Visual storyteller Kenzä Bousseloub on Algerian womanhood, visibility and cultural convergence
AZEEMA’s Editor in Chief, Jameela Elfaki caught up with film maker and photographer Kenzä Bousseloub, diving into what motivates her as a visual storyteller. Kenzä’s work is an authentic window into Algerian womanhood. In this interview she speaks about the importance of documenting and archiving Algerian women and preserving their stories to inspire the younger generation.
Please tell us about yourself, How did you get into filmmaking and photography?
I am an Algerian-American artist raised in Philadelphia and born in Algeria. I currently work in film, journalism, and visual storytelling where I explore themes of cultural convergence, identity, and representation. My current research deeply focuses on Algerian womanhood, visibility, and the impact of colonisation through archives and oral history. Additionally, I am a current member of an artist collective, pop-up cinema and gallery centring South West Asian North African (SWANA) women, queer and local artists in Philadelphia.
I was born in Algeria and immigrated to Philadelphia with my family in 1999 and have been living here ever since. Throughout my upbringing, My family and I would make occasional visits back to my homeland, which I believe helped me gain a strong connection to my roots, and a deep appreciation for my family and culture.
During my college years, I was pursuing a degree in Media Studies and Production. I was really passionate about photojournalism and documentaries which led me to explore film courses, and through these classes and experimenting outside of school, I became super fascinated in this form of storytelling. That's when I realized that this was something I definitely wanted to take more seriously.
My journey into photography began in 2017 when I spent an entire summer in Algeria capturing moments of my family and people in my hometown just using my phone camera. The village my family is from is pretty small, all families know each other, so it was odd for people to see a young woman out in the streets all day taking photographs. But I was so captivated and eager to photograph every single moment that I had. This process of photographing relatives and people in my village made me completely fall in love with this medium. It became a way for me to connect with my people.
A year later, a friend of mine gave me his old film camera and that became a pivotal moment for me and my work. I began consistently documenting my visits back home. My personal life and artistic life all kind of converged in these returns back home. It gave me purpose and an urge to become an artist. This work is what is maintaining the relationship between me and my country.
Still from Nissa’a Djazaïriat film
What originally drew you to the themes of Algerian womanhood, identity & cultural convergence?
When I am in Algeria, I always find myself immersed in different social settings, gatherings, and celebrations that are usually separate from men and women due to religious beliefs, so I was constantly present amongst my aunties, female cousins and friends from the village. This made me curious to learn more about the relationships women had with each other and the rituals we practiced as a community. I loved being a part of the henna ceremonies, the way we danced and sang together, and being immersed in the collective sounds of zaghrouta – I felt a strong sense of belonging. It was an environment so familiar from my upbringing that I feel compelled to further explore.
I was especially drawn to older women from my village – their demeanour, wisdom, the tattoos on their skin and the beautiful traditional garments they wore. I wanted to learn more about their past. This led me into an extensive exploration of our historical narrative, particularly the significant roles women had in anti-colonial struggle. The purpose of my research is to highlight the passions, beauty, struggles, and duties of women in Algeria and how they help shape society today.
Growing up in the U.S as an immigrant led me to frequently question my identity and where I truly fit in, as well as whether I should conform to a singular identity. The U.S, in particular, often tends to box people into specific racial categories or misunderstand their backgrounds. Being an artist, it has allowed me to embrace and celebrate my diverse cultural heritage as an Algerian American : including my Arab, Amazigh, and Muslim identities as a woman. These influences have immensely shaped my understanding of self, a sentiment that translates throughout my creative work. I admire the complexities of being connected with these very distinct cultures, and the way they converge into my identity, while still preserving their individual uniqueness. These dynamics find a presence within my creative expressions and are something I like to explore within myself and with others.
Still from Nissa’a Djazaïriat Film
Can you tell us more about the film work you have been documenting and creating in Algeria?
Nissa’a Djazaïriat, Voices of East Algeria is a documentary set in the towns of Mila and Setif, Algeria, that delves into the lives of women who share their personal stories and experiences on the Algerian War of Independence, the gift of healing, and the celebration of womanhood.
Each woman in this film embodies something different for Algeria. The film begins with a woman named, Khadijah, who embodies the strength and resilience of all those who contributed to the Algerian War of Independence. The second woman, Bayah, embodies our community and how we use spiritualism and faith to take care of each other. Then the film ends with an intimate celebration of a young woman's henna party on the night before her wedding day with all her close family and friends. To me, she embodies a future and growth I hope to see in Algeria.
While developing an idea of creating a documentary, my focus shifted towards an unexplored subject: the different lives of Algerian women. My intention was to delve into the intricate intersection of culture and gender within this context, while celebrating the beauty and complexities of each woman. I want to showcase their lives authentically and to be themselves. Watching the film, It feels very intimate as if you are there sitting with the women and experiencing them as they are.
Much of my inspiration came from watching old films and documentaries by African and Arab filmmakers. But a large part of my inspiration came from the tradition of oral storytelling within my family, and being in the presence of beautiful and welcoming women in my hometown. This was not only a creative project for me, but a deeply personal and emotional one. The women in this film are either family or close family friends. There were many other women I filmed, but ended up not making the cut. I am hoping to share and honour their stories in another way in the future.
beauty in the chaos is a short film that captures the essence of a two-month trip back home, showing personal moments spent with my family and the chaos of a week-long wedding celebration in Algeria.
My intention with the film was to document the sweet and mundane moments with family as well as the preparation leading up to my older brother's traditional East Algerian wedding. Most weddings in Algeria are prepared at home and it is always the most hectic and chaotic environment to be in, which for me, is the most exciting time because that's when I capture the greatest moments. A lot of my work is very up close and personal, that's exactly what I want people to feel when they experience my work. The film also features multiple songs by one of my favorite Algerian musicians and composer, Ahmed Malek, which was a tribute to him as well.
I feel like the films are very beautiful and intimate, as if we are looking and sharing moments with our own family members. Was this your intention? Tell us about the connection and relationships between you and your family members documented in the work.
In the beginning it wasn't really my intention. I was just documenting what was around me. Most of my works are moments of family gatherings, dinners, weddings, and from walks in the village. It's all kind of spontaneous and without a plan. But over the years, watching my work grow, I began to understand how important it was not only for myself but for my craft and what it meant to others. People really connected with my work, especially Algerians in the country and in the diaspora. That makes me the happiest. I also have a strong interest in genealogy and my family's history. I'm always digging through old family archives and photo books and collecting as much as I can to digitise. Every time I go back I’m recording oral stories and interviewing family members to learn more about our history. I'm really invested in this kind of research, it's what brings the most inspiration to my work. I think it's so important to document your family as much as you can because if nobody will then how else will we be remembered?
Film still from Beauty in the Chaos
Are there any themes that came out of your exploration that you’re keen to explore further?’
Currently, I am deeply interested in the exploration of sisterhood and the relationships among women, particularly in younger generations. I am hoping to explore this through a personal and intimate photo series. At the same time, I'm continuing my dedication to researching the impactful roles played by women during the Algerian war of independence. I have documented a couple stories so far of women in my hometown who were involved in the war. I notice the themes I’ve been exploring tend to jump between past and present generations of women in the country.
What do you hope to achieve with your work
I am working towards creating an archive and digital archive to preserve the materials that I document and collect in hopes of keeping our stories alive and honouring the women in my life who inspire younger generations like myself.
I want to bring more hope and optimism to the country and to inspire others to create more art because It's such a powerful way to get our voices and messages across to others. For so long our voices have been overshadowed and stripped away from decades and decades of French colonisation – I want this to be a way for us to reclaim our voices and identity as a country.
You can find more from Kenzä Bousseloub here