French-Algerian athlete Noureddine Bentoumi inspired his brother Farid’s first major film success.
Based loosely on Noureddine’s experiences as an Olympic skier, Good Luck Algeria tackles questions of belonging and identity, with a charming, humorous tone. Meanwhile, it tells the true story of Algeria’s first cross country skiing representative at the Olympics.
“In general, the family atmosphere between two cultures described in the film is very faithful to reality,” says Bentoumi about the film. “My brother also addresses with finesse the unique situation of Franco-Algerian binationals to whom, whatever their level of integration, we are constantly reminded of their foreign origin.”
Good Luck Algeria tells Noureddine Bentoumi’s real story with few changes
The film retells Noureddine’s story with a few liberties. But it keeps the main part of the true story intact.
The story follows a casual hobby athlete, who contacts Algeria’s ski team to try and keep his ski business surviving. In reality, Bentoumi started the process of entering professional skiing out of what he called “a sportsman’s delirium”.
“At the start, it’s a sporting challenge,” Bentoumi says. The film discusses some serious topics, including bicultural family dynamics and the idea of home country, as well as the political organization of major sport.
Good Luck Algeria received great reviews. Many of these emphasize how the film blends genres and remains grounded in its story. “…Despite its familiar stylings, [this film] is still unlike most other films out there,” writes The Hollywood Reporter’s Boyd van Hoeij. The film was also an official selection at the 2016 L’Alpe d’Huez Film Festival.
Noureddine Bentoumi: Algeria’s first ever Olympic XC skiier
Born in Chamonix, France to an Algerian father and French mother, Bentoumi spent his summers as a child in M’sila, Algeria. He always had an interest in sports, and in 2005 he became Algeria’s only representative in international cross-country skiing competitions.
“Suddenly, you’re called Algeria. It’s no longer my little challenge, it’s another dimension – social, cultural, political,” says Bentoumi. “It’s not really my story anymore.”
He went on to participate even in the 2006 Turin Olympics. However, despite how unusual an Algerian representative at the ski even at the Olympics was, it didn’t garner much buzz at the time.
“My participation in the Olympic Games was not covered very much by the press, and in Algeria, nobody spoke about it,” Bentoumi tells Grenoble INP. “Oddly enough, the cinematic experience will certainly have more influence.”
Farid and Noureddine Bentoumi have stayed busy
Bentoumi has kept his day job both throughout his Olympic/sports career and the filming of Good Luck Algeria. He has worked at Hewlett-Packard since 1995, and even tried to participate in the 2010 Olympics representing Algeria once more. Although he was not chosen to by the Algerian Ski Federation, Good Luck Algeria has kept his name on the sports map.
“I would like to write, too,” he says. “Maybe in another part of my life.”
Meanwhile, Farid Bentoumi has been making more films since Good Luck Algeria. His latest film Rouge (Red Soil) was recently selected to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in the Newcomer category.
The film deals with a young nurse, who faces a difficult decision. On one hand, she feels compelled to blow the whistle on a factory that dumps toxic waste in her town. On the other hand, she must consider those whose livelihoods depend on that factory—her father included.
Watch Good Luck Algeria on French Netflix or buy the film on Amazon.
Read more about Rouge here.
