Death of the Famous Algerian Actress Biyouna

Baya Bouzar, known by her stage name Biyouna, a prominent figure in Algerian cinema who starred in several films in France, passed away on Tuesday in Algiers at the age of 73 due to an illness, as announced by public television.

Born on September 13, 1952, in the working-class neighborhood of Belouizdad (formerly Belcourt) in Algiers, Biyouna rose to fame in Algeria in 1973 at the age of 19 after appearing in the cult TV series "Al-Hariq" ("The Fire").

During the dark decade of the 1990s, she refused to leave the country.

It was not until 1999, after the end of the violence, that Biyouna crossed the Algerian borders. She went to meet Franco-Algerian director Nadir Moknèche, who cast her in Morocco for "Madame Osmane's Harem."

Under the same director, she played a former cabaret dancer in "Viva Laldjérie" and a con artist in "Délice Paloma."

She made headlines with scenes considered daring in Algeria in "At My Age I Still Hide to Smoke" (2017).

Biyouna also appeared in numerous French films such as "Le Flic de Belleville" (2018).

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed his sorrow at the loss of one of the cultural scene's celebrities, praising Biyouna's contribution to Algerian cinema.