Merzak Allouache (born 6 October 1944 in Algiers, Algeria[1]) is an Algerian film director and screenwriter. He has directed 18 films since 1976. His 1976 film Omar Gatlato was entered into the 10th Moscow International Film Festival where it won the Silver Prize.[2] His 1996 Salut cousin! was submitted to the 69th Academy Awards in the category of Best Foreign Language Film.[3] He is one of the most influential Algerian filmmakers, considered by some to be the most important.[4] He is the only Algerian filmmaker who devoted most, if not all, of his cinematic work to his native country.[5]