Aziz Degga

This son of Climat-de-France, in Algiers, began his career as an artist in the theater. In 1967, he joined the dramatic arts section of the Algiers Conservatory. He then played in dialect and in French alongside Azzedine Medjoubi, Madjid Bey, Abdelah Bouzida, Norredine Lameche, Samir Bencherifa and Rabah Allam in the play L’Exception Et La Règle by Bertold Brecht. Until 1972, he continued to perform classical plays with a dramatic tone. After Les Perses by Aeschylus (1967), he played in the play in dialectal Arabic by Echaab (The People). In 1969 he was in Kateb Yacine's La Poudre D'Intelligence. Then in 1972 in the theater troupe of the same Kateb who will tour France for several months to play "Mohamed Prend Ta Valise". He will play in Djamel Allam's La Voûte, and will then do a one-man show.

Degga has played in about ten films and seven TV films. "I have always played roles that exude cheerfulness, I don't like to put myself in the shoes of characters who whine, I play humorous, relaxed, not serious roles, but which do not belong to the worldly type", as in Omar Gatlato by Merzak Allouache, he played the role of Moh Smina. An exception that proves the rule, Degga admits that he liked Al Intihar (Suicide) by Mustapha Badie where he plays the tragic role of a simpleton. Badie gives what is needed to the actors, he is the one who discovered the great characters such as Biyouna, Ouardia, etc. He has unearthed talents that could never have played in the cinema. On a human level, he is very attentive in his relationships with people. Concerning Merzak Allouache, Degga places him in another category. "I think his genius was to write a script that gives the actors the freedom to evolve, to spontaneously create dialogues that we hear every day in the street."

Among the films in which he played leading roles: Omar Gatlato (1976), Cri de Pierre (1987), Le Clandestin (1988), Sombrero (2006), Morituri (2007), Il Était une fois dans l'oued (2005)..

"I was born with Hitler's capitulation, on November 10, 1945!" he said. With his Kouffa, Aziz Degga often strolled around Algiers, which inspired him. Since his retirement from cinema at the age of 65, Abdelaziz Degga has devoted himself to writing stories and short stories for children, illustrated by the visual artist Abderrahamne Ouattou. Fond of stories and anecdotes, he collected thousands of stories throughout his life, which he recorded in cards that he keeps at home. His trick is to record brief exchanges of words that he had with famous people. The real facts thus collected are sprinkled with imaginary notes before being offered for reading in the form of short stories.

Aziz Degga died on April 12, 2019, at the age of 74, following an illness. The tribute documentary "Aziz Degga, conteur", by director Hamid Benamra is currently in preparation.