Taha El-Amiri

August 20, 1927 – September 3, 2024

Algiers, Algeria

Taha El-Amiri, whose real name is Abderrahmane Bestandji, is an actor and director of the Algerian national theater, born on August 20, 1927, in the popular district of Casbah, in the heights of Algiers. Committed actor and activist within the Algerian People's Party (PPA). He learned dramaturgy, under the guidance of Mahiedine Bechtarzi, the founding father of Algerian theater, alongside his companion Habib Redha, the martyr Majid Redha, the actress Kelthoum and the actor Hassane El Hassani. His pseudonym Taha El-Amiri, was attributed an artistic basis, since beginning artists used to choose their nicknames. Taha El Amiri began his artistic career in 1947 and in the following years, he distinguished himself in several roles such as Othello, Saladin El Ayoubi, El Khalidoune and other plays. He met Doctor Sholy, as he suffered the pangs of French censorship, at a time when the pronunciation of the word "freedom" was synonymous with the banning of any theatrical presentation. Al-Amiri was one of the founders of the FLN artistic troupe, first establishing ties with Mustafa Kateb, then joining Abdelhalim Rais, Ahmed Wahbi and Hassan Chafei in Tunis. The presentation of the play El Khalidoune (The Eternals) in which he participated in Fes (Morocco) had long irritated the French governor who also threatened the Algerian troupe, which moreover continued to inform international public opinion on the Algerian question (the mother question) and to convey the message of the glorious revolution. After independence, Taha El-Amiri joined the Algerian National Theater, where he played in several plays, before retiring to take part in the theater troupe of the radio that he founded at the request of the writer Abdelhamid Benhedouga. This troupe was directed by Habib Redha. Taha El-Amiri will officiate as an actor, director and production manager, while continuing to present three plays per week (two in Darija, one in classical Arabic), until 1913, before returning again to the Algerian National Theater as general director, replacing Mustafa Kateb during the years 1972, 1973, 1974. He will then be transferred to Algerian television to finally retire after a rich artistic career. Taha El-Amiri said "I did not remember my birthday, but I rather remembered the days before and after. I do not know why, but it was only after the events of August 20, 1956 that I managed to remember him, against my will, because he was associated with the sacrifices of my compatriots. Taha El-Amiri was praised by the dean of Algerian theater Mahieddine Bachtarzi in his memoirs, he classified the trio, Mustafa Kateb, Abdelkader Alloula, and Taha El-Amiri in the same lineage. Taha El-Amiri died on September 3, 2024, he is buried in the cemetery of Sidi M'Hamed in Algiers.