Metref Arezki

Metref Arezki

Category : Letters - Languages ​​- Islamic Sciences

METREF Arezki

Metref_Arezki.jpg

Writer, Poet, Journalist, Playwright and Director

Independent Journalist and Author - France

Born May 21, 1952 in Sour El-Ghozlane (formerly Aumale), near Bouira, Algeria

Origins & Education

Arezki Metref was born on May 21, 1952, in Sour El-Ghozlane (formerly Aumale), near Bouira, in an Algeria in the midst of the War of Independence. From a Kabyle family originally from Aït Yenni (Agouni Ahmed), he grew up in an educated family environment that was politically conscious of the inequalities of colonial rule.

Childhood and Early Years (1952-1958):
  • Kabyle Origins: Family originally from Aït Yenni, in Kabylia, a Berber-speaking region with a strong tradition of resistance
  • War Context: Born during the Algerian War of Independence, in a family conscious of political issues
  • Geographic Displacements: Lived first in Bouira, then in Laghouat, testifying to the instability of the era
  • Early Political Awareness: Grew up in an educated family, awakened to questions of inequality and colonial injustice
Settlement in Algiers (1958-1970):
  • Eucalyptus Housing Estate: In 1958, in a climate of insecurity, his family settled in Algiers, in the Eucalyptus Housing Estate built as part of the Constantine Plan
  • Militant Environment: The estate was populated only by newly settled Algerians, convinced of the necessity to fight for independence
  • FLN Presence: The FLN was present clandestinely there, residents supported it through contributions
  • Witness to History: Remembers the ceasefire agreements, the blind attacks by the OAS, and the immense joy of the people on Independence Day, July 5, 1962
Higher Education:
  • Institute of Political Studies of Algiers: Student at this prestigious institution, acquired solid training in political science
  • Political Culture: His education gave him analytical tools for sociopolitical phenomena that he would use in his journalism and writings
  • Literary Awakening: Alongside his studies, developed his passion for writing and literature

Scientific Career

Arezki Metref's career is characterized by constant evolution between engaged journalism, literary creation, and artistic innovation, marked by courageous positions and forced exile that enriched his perspective on the world.

Journalistic Beginnings in Algeria (1972-1993):
  • First Position: Became a journalist in 1972, beginnings in the official Algerian press
  • Multiple Collaborations: Collaborated notably with L'Unité, Révolution africaine, El Moudjahid, Algérie-Actualité
  • State Press Experience: Worked within the Algerian media system, acquiring intimate knowledge of its mechanisms
  • Stylistic Development: Gradually refined his journalistic and literary style
Creation of "Ruptures" and Engagement (1993):
  • Editorial Innovation: In January 1993, created with Tahar Djaout and Abdelkrim Djaad the weekly Ruptures, a revolution in the Algerian media landscape
  • Editor-in-Chief: Assumed editorial responsibility for this publication breaking with traditional journalism
  • Independent Editorial Line: The newspaper advocated for a "modern civil society" facing the rise of Islamism and authoritarianism
  • Journalistic Courage: Took courageous positions in a context of growing violence
Exile in France (1993-2001):
  • Forced Exile: After the assassination of Tahar Djaout, left for France in 1993 to escape threats
  • Difficult Period: Painful experience of exile, "feeling of loneliness in Western metropolises driven by speed and performance"
  • International Collaborations: Collaborated with the London daily The Guardian, magazines Autrement, Maghreb-Machrek, Panoramique
  • Politis Engagement: Contributed to the world section of the weekly Politis
  • Lecturer: Gave conferences on Algeria in France and abroad
Return and Artistic Diversification (2001-present):
  • Return to Algeria: Only returned to Algeria in 2001, after eight years of exile
  • Pictorial Exploration: Began painting in 2003 and exhibited in 2004, developing a new artistic facet
  • Cinematographic Direction: Ventured into documentary making, notably "Une journée au soleil" (2017)
  • Creative Versatility: Developed a multiform career: writer, journalist, playwright, painter, and filmmaker

Distinctions & Recognition

Although Arezki Metref has not received major national literary prizes, his work benefits from sustained critical recognition and notable influence in Francophone and Maghrebian intellectual circles.

  • Critical Recognition: His works are the subject of university analyses and critical articles in specialized press
  • Prestigious Broadcasts: His play "Priorité au basilic" broadcast on France Culture (March 23, 1998) and created in Paris at the Déchargeurs theater
  • Avignon Festival: His plays were revived at the Avignon Festival, an important theatrical consecration
  • Translations: His works are translated and studied in several countries
  • Anthology Presence: Inclusion in collective reference works on Maghrebian literature
  • Institutional Recognition: Participation in the INA's Grands Entretiens Patrimoniaux (2021)

Impact & Influence

Arezki Metref's work stands as a major contribution to understanding contemporary Algeria and the experience of exile, particularly influencing studies on Maghrebian immigration and intellectual resistance.

  • Witness to Algerian History: His work constitutes an essential testimony on Algeria's transformations from independence to the 2000s
  • Voice of Intellectual Exile: Embodies the painful experience of Algerian intellectuals forced into exile in the 1990s
  • Immigration Explorer: His documentary "Une journée au soleil" reveals "the importance of the sociological, cultural and political role" of cafés in the Algerian community in France
  • Civil Society Defender: Participated in "the emergence of a modern civil society" in Algeria through his journalistic engagement
  • Cultural Mediator: Facilitates dialogue between Algerian and French cultures through his writings and conferences
  • Artistic Innovator: Develops an original multimedia approach (literature, theater, painting, cinema)

Major Works

Poetry: Poetry
  • "Mourir à vingt ans" (1974): First poetry collection, published by Éditions Caractères, Paris
  • "Bonne année ou les joies perfides" (1977): In collaboration with Abdelmadjid Kaouah, Éditions du Stencil, Algiers
  • "Iconoclaste et riveraine" (1986): Drawings by Hamid Tibouchi, Éditions de l'Orycte, Paris
  • "Abat-jour" (1996): Preface by Jean Pélégri, illustrations by Claude-Henri Bartoli
  • "Sindbad, émeutier suivi de L'Évanescence de Tin Hinan" (2004): Illustrations by Tala M'loult and Arezki Metref
  • "Prométhée, l'amour" (2009): Drawings by Hamid Tibouchi
Novels: Novel
  • "Quartiers consignés" (1996): First novel, Marsa éditions, Paris
  • "Douar, une saison en exil" (2006): Autobiographical novel on the experience of exile
  • "Roman de Kabylie ou Le livre des ancêtres" (2010): Exploration of Kabyle roots
  • "La Traversée du somnambule" (2015): Chronicles of "lying-true", Koukou éditions, Algiers
  • "Le jour où Mme Carmel sortit son revolver" (2015): Dalimen, Algiers
  • "Mes cousins des Amériques" (2017): Koukou éditions, Algiers
  • "Rue de la Nuit" (2019): Koukou éditions, Algiers
  • "Les Gens du Peuplier" (2023): Latest novel, Éditions Casbah, Algiers
Theater: Theater
  • "Priorité au basilic" (1997): Preface by Abdelkrim Djaad, illustrations by Dilem, broadcast on France Culture
  • "La Nuit du doute" (1997): Preface by Nourredine Saadi, illustration by Ali Silem
  • "L'Amphore" (2002): Preface by Marie-Joëlle Rupp, created at Confluence in Paris
  • "L'Agonie du sablier" (2003): Illustrations by Denis Martinez, created at the Passementerie theater
Essays and Chronicles: Essay
  • "Algérie, Chroniques d'un pays blessé" (1998): Preface by Denis Sieffert, illustrations by Dilem
  • "Algérie, la vérité mais pas toute la vérité" (2002): Chronicles 1997-2002
  • "Kabylie Story" (2005): Casbal Éditions, Algiers
Cinema: Documentary
  • "Une journée au soleil" (2017): Documentary with Marie-Joëlle Rupp on Algerian immigration in France through cafés
  • "At Yani, paroles d'argent" (2013): Documentary
  • "Le Plateau de la pluie": Report

Themes & Literary Universe

  • War Memory: Constant exploration of the trauma of the Algerian War and its contemporary resonances
  • Multiple Identity: Questioning of cultural and linguistic belonging in a postcolonial context
  • Violence and Power: Analysis of mechanisms of political and religious oppression
  • Immigration and Exile: Deep reflection on the diasporic condition and cultural transmission
  • Kabyle Heritage: Exploration of Berber roots and cultural preservation
  • Civil Society: Advocacy for democratic values and intellectual freedom

"By frequenting cafés when I arrived in France in the 1990s, I discovered the importance of their sociological, cultural and political role in maintaining the cohesion of the Algerian community."

Further Reading

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