Habib Reda

Habib Reda (born Mohamed Hattab; March 28, 1919 – 2013) was an Algerian actor, musician, and composer. He was known for his participation in early North African film productions before independence and later appeared in international cinema, most notably in the political film Z (1969) directed by Costa-Gavras.^[1]

Habib Reda
Born	Mohamed Hattab (1919-03-28)March 28, 1919 Miliana, French Algeria
Died	2013 Algiers, Algeria
Nationality	Algerian
Other names	Habib Réda
Occupation(s)	Actor, musician, composer
Notable work	Kenzi (Mon trésor) (1948); Z (1969)

Biography

Mohamed Hattab, known professionally as Habib Réda, was born on March 28, 1919, in Miliana (present-day Aïn Defla Province), Algeria. He pursued a versatile artistic career as a stage and film actor, singer, musician, and composer.

He appeared in several films shot in the Maghreb from the 1940s onwards, notably Kenzi (Mon trésor) in 1948, and also took part in international productions such as Z (1969).^[2][3]

In 1955, he left his artistic career to join the Algerian War of Independence. He became one of the officials of the Autonomous Zone of Algiers and participated in armed resistance activities, including bomb placements. Arrested in 1957, he was sentenced to death and imprisoned at the Sarrouy School, which had been converted into an interrogation center, where he was subjected to torture.^[4]

He also worked as a film composer and performer, credited for the music in Kenzi (Mon trésor). Reda remained active in North African cinema after World War II and occasionally collaborated on international productions through the 1960s and 1970s.^[5]

He died in 2013 at the age of 94 in Algiers and was buried at El Kettar Cemetery.^[4]

Filmography

• Children of Destiny (1946) — actor credit.^[6]
• Kenzi (Mon trésor) (1947/1948) — actor and composer credit (music by Habib Reda).
• Z (1969) — actor credit in the international cast of Costa-Gavras’ film.^[7]
• The Legacy (1975) — listed in databases (MUBI).^[5]

Discography

• Composer credit for Kenzi (Mon trésor).^[8]
• Early recordings from the 1940s are referenced in indexes of Maghrebi popular music and in online audio compilations such as Habib Réda (1940s) playlists.^[9]

Legacy

Habib Réda is recognized in North African film directories as an early figure in Maghrebi sound cinema and among the first generation of Algerian actors who transitioned from theatre to film. His appearance in the political thriller Z (1969) also granted him recognition in international cinema.^[1]