Ahmed Zitouni

EARLY LIFE

Ahmed Zitouni was born in 1992 in Algiers, Algeria. He began his artistic journey at the age of 18, starting with theatre work under Actarus Ahmed Aksas. He quickly transitioned into television commercials for Algerian networks, which helped launch his on-screen presence.

CAREER

Zitouni is a multi-hyphenate artist who works as an actor, writer, and increasingly as a director and creative behind the camera. Acting: He gained early visibility through Algerian television series, including lead or prominent roles in Switcher Algeria (2013), Elkhamsa / Khamsa (2014), and the popular sitcom Sultan Ashour the Tenth (Sultan Achour 10, 2015–2017 and later seasons). In cinema, he has appeared in Kindil Al-Bahr, L’Andalou (with Mohamed Chouikh), The Last Queen (2022, as the Bosnian Pirate), Hab Mlouk (2022), Deserts (2023), and the series Binatna (2026) and The Landlady (2026). He has also acted in short films such as Rage Pilot, Ifrit: The Unbox, and Surprise Motherfuckers. Writing and Behind-the-Camera Work: Zitouni has writing credits on Disk Hayati (2018), Moul Lmlih (2022), and Nahar El Ers (2022, dialogue). He has worked as an art director (notably on Sultan Ashour 10) and assistant director on various projects. He is also active as an artistic director specializing in post-production for television and cinema. Directing: In 2024, he made his directorial debut with the short psychological thriller Inconnu (Unknown). The 13–14-minute film follows Salima, an independent artist who finds a discarded mobile phone that draws her into a nightmarish situation of escalating calls and threats. Written by Hakim Traidia and starring Nardjes Asli, the film has screened at festivals including Vues d’Afrique, Algiers International Film Festival (Special Mention), Imedghassen, Saïda, Timimoun, and IndoDubai, where it won awards including Jury Prize and Best Short Film recognitions.

Ahmed Zitouni represents a new generation of Algerian filmmakers who move fluidly between acting, writing, and directing. His short Inconnu has been praised for its tense, Hitchcockian atmosphere and exploration of modern digital-age anxiety within a confined setting. He continues to develop further projects as a co-director and artistic director.