The Stories of Alice Zeniter
From Friday, November 6, 2026 to Saturday, November 7, 2026
Alice Zeniter—writer, playwright, director, and actress—is the Mucem’s guest for a two-day program.
She chooses to take us on a journey that speaks to us as much about the past as it does about the present, to places where history and personal stories come alive and intertwine—through her voice, the voices of her characters, and the voices of her guests.
We’ll journey through novels, from 1980 to the present; we’ll visit the Casbah of Algiers in 1955; we’ll gain access to present-day Afghanistan, under Taliban control; we’ll explore the power of the arts to create characters and bring stories to life through video, theater, and the novel; and we’ll dance to the rhythms of Isam Elias, somewhere between haunting piano and electro-Oriental sounds.
Featuring Alice Zeniter and her guests: Alice Carré, Solène Chalvon-Fioriti, Isam Elias, Hassen Ferhani, and Elodie Karaki.
Events (5)
Children with No History
The Stories of Alice Zeniter
An exploration of French literature from the past fifty years through the lens of migration patterns.
“I’m feeling my way through it, searching for people who are like me; I’m looking for stories that reflect my own experience: those of French people who have one or both parents from elsewhere. It’s a journey—from novel to novel and from 1980 to the present—alongside the children of Algerians, Tunisians, Moroccans, Vietnamese, Senegalese, Malians… Here we hear the angry, timid, joyful, or hoarse voices of those most directly affected; here we listen to what literature creates from these...On Friday, Nov 6, 2026
de 20h à 21h30
J4 / Auditorium
Little Casbah
The Stories of Alice Zeniter
Animated film for ages 7 and up; the screening will be followed by a discussion with two of the authors, Alice Carré and Alice Zeniter.
Algeria, June 1955. Khadidja leaves Kabylie to join her older brother Malek in Algiers. After an altercation at the market, he is arrested by the police, and Khadidja finds herself alone. Fortunately, Lyes, Ahmed, and Philippe will do everything they can to help her find Malek. From the rooftops of the Casbah, the four children conduct their investigation. *Petite Casbah* (Ages 7 and up, 1 hour 20 minutes, animated film, 2026), by Antoine Colomb, written by Alice Zeniter, Alice Carré, and...On Saturday, Nov 7, 2026
de 10h30 à 12h30
J4 / Auditorium
- Free
The Taliban Country
The Stories of Alice Zeniter
An exceptional documentary that delves into the heart of the Taliban regime and the upended daily lives of Afghan citizens, particularly women.
Nearly five years after their return to power, a new era has dawned under the yoke of the Taliban, an unyielding fundamentalist regime. Under their rule, the former republic has vanished, replaced by an ultra-rigid regime that is closed off to the rest of the world and to the foreign press. An “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” largely unrecognized, not even by other Islamic theocracies. After four filming trips, conducted primarily outside official channels, *The Taliban Country* offers a...On Saturday, Nov 7, 2026
de 15h30 à 17h30
J4 / Auditorium
- Free
Characters and Identities
The Stories of Alice Zeniter
How does your art bring characters to life?
Featuring Alice Carré, Hassen Ferhani, and Alice Zeniter. A discussion moderated by Elodie Karaki. That is the question Alice Zeniter hopes to explore with her guests, filmmaker Hassen Ferhani and author and director Alice Carré. From the blank page to the screen, and from the stage to the screen, how are the people who bring our stories to life and embody our identities shaped? The event will be followed by a book signing.On Saturday, Nov 7, 2026
de 18h à 19h30
J4 / Auditorium
- Free
Live set by Isam Elias
The Stories of Alice Zeniter
A world where piano, electronic music, and Middle Eastern rhythms converge.
With his “Solo” project, Isam Elias blends Eastern folk melodies with powerful electronic sounds infused with dabkeh and Middle Eastern dance rhythms. By bringing the piano to the forefront alongside synthesizers, he takes listeners on a journey through Western productions, rhythms, Afro-Oriental dance vibes, and touches of dancehall. On-site bar and dining.On Saturday, Nov 7, 2026
de 20h à 21h30
J4 / Forum