Raï Story: From Cheikha Rimitti to Cheba Djenet

At a glance

Raï Story: From Cheikha Rimitti to Cheba Djenet, is a 2004 Egyptian movie, directed by Samia Madeleine Verschaffelt and Ahmed Rachedi, and starring Cheikha Remitti, Cheba Djenet, Cheba Dalila. with a runtime of 55 minutes.

Overview

Raï Story: From Cheikha Rimitti to Cheba Djenet is an Algerian music documentary that traces the roots and evolution of raï music in Oran, Algeria, from its earliest days in the 1920s to the turn of the millennium. When first-generation raï singers performed behind screens to protect their identities, it was Cheikha Remitti who first brought this raw, defiant sound into the public sphere in the 1940s. Unable to locate the elusive legend herself, the filmmakers instead meet an array of artists shaped by her legacy — including singers Cheba Dalila and Cheba Djenet — uncovering archival footage and intimate testimonies along the way. The film shines a light on the pivotal role women have played in the raï tradition and charts the genre's remarkable cultural journey across six decades.

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