For its streaming platform, Disney+ is putting the focus on Malik Oussekine, the 22-year-old Algerian student who died at the hands of French police in 1986 following several weeks of mass protests that took place that year.
Entitled ‘Oussekine’, the series will delve into his death and his family’s quest for justice. Oussekine was beaten by police in the hall of a building as protests took place on the streets of Paris against the ‘Devaquet bill’, which proposed reforms to French universities to allow them to restrict admissions. His death ultimately brought the demonstrations to a head, leading to the withdrawal off the bill.
The series comes as part of Disney+’s plans to add 10 European originals to its roster. ‘Oussekine’ will be directed by Antoine Chevrollier and co-written by author Faïza Guène, Julien Lilti and Cédreic Ido.
The four-part mini-series will “dive into the heart of the 1980s to understand the impact that this drama had on French society at the time,” said Disney + in a statement.
Oussekine’s tragic story inspired the classic 1995 French film ‘La Haine’, that starred Saïd Taghmaoui, Hubert Koundé and Vincent Cassel. His death is referred to in the film’s opening scene, and French rap group Assassin paid tribute to the young man for the film’s soundtrack.
