After many years of contribution to the artistic and cultural field, Algerian theater artist Mohamed Cherchal has turned into a taxi driver because of what he described as "marginalization, neglect, and injustice" exercised against him by the authorities responsible for the culture sector in the country, according to his claims. Cherchal announced on his Facebook page, accompanied by a picture of his father, the end of his artistic career after reaching a state of great frustration with the cultural situation in the country. He wrote, "This is my father, the late Ahmed Cherchal, may God rest his soul. He was my inspiration with his jokes and cheerful spirit and his profession as a taxi driver when I wrote the dialogues of 'Djami Family' to entertain generations of my viewers; this successful series continues to this day."
He added, "Today fate wishes for my father to inspire me again with his strength and dignity, so I borrow his profession to avoid succumbing to a failed cultural policy that fights successful individuals and assassinates them with dirty schemes and conspiracies. Thanks to my father's inspiration, I maintain my dignity and pride in a world that is ungrateful, conspiratorial, and cheap."
Mohamed Cherchal (60 years old) is considered one of the most important writers and theater directors in Algeria. He graduated from the Higher Institute of Dramatic Art, received several awards both inside and outside the country, and became especially known for the comedy series "Djami Family," which aired on Algerian television.
Cherchal complained in another post about being pushed away from his field and the rejection of his works despite his theatrical abilities, stating that he is "a victim of a failed cultural policy that cannot protect and value success in a purportedly new Algeria, and a victim of desolate theaters run by mostly intellectually and artistically bankrupt managers, who have no minimum theatrical knowledge and are merely employees chasing after staying in their positions at the expense of theater itself."
The cry and testimony of artist Mohamed Cherchal sparked widespread debate and garnered significant sympathy, opening discussions about the state of the artistic and theatrical field in the country and the situation of artists.
In response, Egyptian poet Sami Mahgoub wrote, "The great Algerian screenwriter and theater director Mohamed Cherchal is forced to work as a taxi driver after the disappointment he faced from the Algerian theatrical community over the past five years."
Similarly, the president of the Algerian Federation for Culture and Arts, Abdelali Mazghich, wrote, "Whether we agree with theater director and screenwriter Mohamed Cherchal or not, his professional situation should not be met with silence from silent artists and journalists."
Activist Ahmed Adimi also wrote a post saying, "Honest work preserves human dignity, regardless of its type, but it is truly unfortunate that the Algerian cultural scene loses one of its great figures who contributed a lot to theater to gain a taxi driver."
It is worth noting that the Algerian government approved a law in 2014 related to the protection and social services for artists, enabling them to obtain professional cards that allow them to join social security and receive insurance while promoting their professional and social interests.
