Africa Film Fest Australia: Fanon

  • Cinema
  • Playhouse
  • Run time - 136 minutes, no intervals
  • Seating map

A biopic in the heart of the Algerian war, where a fight is waged in the name of humanity

France, Luxembourg, Canada | 2024 | French and Arabic with English subtitles | Biopic | M

Jean-Claude Barny directs a searing biopic of French psychiatrist and philosopher Frantz Fanon. Spotlighting a series of events in the 1950s when his methods profoundly clashed with those around him, FANON shines a spotlight on the efforts of this renowned and influential thinker, working at the epicentre of colonisation.

“More than a biopic, Fanon is a detonation. A rare and precious attempt to tell the story of a man whose ideas continue to illuminate the blind spots of our postcolonial societies.” Nofi

Frantz Fanon has just been appointed Chief Medical Officer at the psychiatric hospital in Blida, Algeria. Very soon, his innovative methods and humanistic approach to treating Algerian patients draw the ire of his colleagues and the hospital director. However, Frantz Fanon is not a man who allows himself to be intimidated. His determination and ideas attract the interest of the FLN and its leader, Abane Ramdane, who invites him to join the cause.

As tensions between the French army and the FLN escalate, Fanon is increasingly seen as a traitor. Alongside his wife, Josie, he is swept into a vortex of violence that ultimately leads them to take up the struggle for Algeria’s independence.

Screening as part of Africa Film Fest Australia 2025

Presented by Sydney Opera House and Africa Film Fest Australia, a project of Arts & Cultural Exchange

Event details

Cast and credits

Director
Jean-Claude Barny

Written by
Philippe Bernard, Jean-Claude Barny

Cast

Alexandre Bouyer
Déborah François
Stanislas Merhar
Mehdi Senoussi
Olivier Gourmet
Arthur Dupont
Salomé Partouche
Salem Kali
Sfaya M’Barki

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Attending this event

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Playhouse

The Playhouse is located in the north-western corner of Sydney Opera House, best accessed through the Western Foyers.

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