Said Manseur: The Photographer Who Documented Algeria’s Hirak Protests

There are moments in history when a community finds itself standing at the same juncture as its ancestors; whether to right an internal wrong, resist a regime, or build toward a better future. Algeria, known for its vast Sahara desert, offers one such moment of history repeating itself: once as a dramatized reconstruction by Gillo Pontecorvo in his 1966 film The Battle of Algiers, and again, about half a century later, through the lived experience of photographer Said Manseur. Through his thought-provoking series, El Hirak, Manseur showcases a modern transformation of Algeria.