Hiziya (1977): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1977, Hiziya is a drama and romance film directed by Mohamed Hazourli, running about 115 minutes.

What it’s about. It was from the popular song-poem by Mohamed Ben Guittoun that director Mohamed Hazourli (of the Constantine regional station of RTA) wrote the screenplay. Hiziya Bent Ahmeb Bey, 23 years old, lived in southeastern Algeria, in a village called Sidi Khaled. The daughter of a powerful notable of the Dhouaouda tribe, who regularly migrated through the desert, Hiziya was exceptionally beautiful, to the point that other girls were jealous and envious of her, and men succumbed to her charm. But the young woman's heart belonged to Saïd, an orphan taken in as a child by his uncle. They met in secret and married despite family hostility. A month after their wedding, Hiziya died during the transhumance in the desert. The death of his beloved plunged Saïd into deep grief, to the point that he abandoned his possessions and family to wander the desert.

Who’s in it. Hiziya stars Amal Serour as Hiziya, Farouk Toualbia as Saïd, Hacène Benzerari as Brahim and Abdelhamid Habati as Le Conteur.

How it landed. With an audience score of 10.0/10, Hiziya sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Hiziya page.

If you liked it. Fans of Hiziya tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.