Zahra's Tongue(2011)

Zahra's Tongue Synopsis

The Kabyle people define themselves first and foremost through the spoken word. Every gesture, every moment of their daily lives can give rise to a language of verse, metaphors, and proverbs. After all, isn't it said that in the mountain foothills they call home, verbal dueling was a common pastime? It is a reality difficult to visualize when one looks at the immigrant society where these men and women—often illiterate—are relegated solely to the roles of manual laborers and housewives; one can hardly imagine the eloquent orators they become when they return to their native tongue.

Zahra's Tongue (2011) is a documentary film directed by Fatima Sissani, released on April 26, 2011 with a runtime of 1h 33m.