Three stunningly rendered dispatches from the still-scarred people and landscapes of modern-day Algeria by young gun of North African cinema Karim Moussaoui.

Algeria is a country in a state of flux. Marked by the accumulated traumas of its colonial heritage and the brutal civil war of the 1990s, it's a proud nation trying its best to pick up the pieces, and for those living inside its borders the day-to-day challenges of getting by are a stark reminder of the always human face of large-scale history.

For filmmaker Karim Moussaoui, these lives have become the tapestry of his assured and intimate first feature, Until the Birds Return. A triptych of everyday aspiration, hope and foolishness – from thwarted young love to a revelatory road trip to a doctor accused of a heinous crime – Until the Birds Return offers profound insight into a little-known country, and a potent, kindhearted reminder of the essential humanity that underpins all our stories.

'An intriguingly crafted look at contemporary Algeria … a tender portrait of a place, and a people, looking for ways to come together.' – Hollywood Reporter