# Sami Bouajila

Sami Bouajila (born 26 May 1966) is a Tunisian-French actor who has won two César Awards. Bouajila has worked and acted in two Oscar nominated films (Days of Glory and Outside the Law), both directed by director Rachid Bouchareb.

## Early life

Bouajila's father emigrated from Tunisia to France in 1956, and worked as a building painter, a professionally recognized skill requiring specific technical knowledge. His grandfather was a Berber and immigrated to Tunisia. Bouajila was born and grew up in Échirolles, a suburb south of Grenoble. He studied theatre.

## Political views

In June 2024, Bouajila signed a petition addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron demanding France to officially recognize the State of Palestine.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | La Thune | Kamel | |
| 1993 | Les Histoires d'amour finissent mal... en général | Slim Touati | |
| 1993 | The Hour of the Pig | Mahmoud | |
| 1994 | The Silences of the Palace | Lofti | |
| 1995 | Bye-Bye | Ismaël | |
| 1996 | Anna Oz | Marc | |
| 1997 | Artemisia | Tassi's assistant | |
| 1997 | Le Déménagement | Jean | |
| 1997 | Né quelque part | Driss Bourafia | |
| 1998 | The Siege | Samir Nazhde | |
| 1999 | Inséparables | Boris | |
| 1999 | La Peur du vide | | |
| 1999 | Our Happy Lives | Ali | |
| 2000 | Douce France | | |
| 2000 | Drôle de Félix | Félix | |
| 2000 | Faites comme si je n'étais pas là | Tom | |
| 2000 | Poetical Refugee | Jallel | |
| 2000 | Nouvelle de la tour L | Dealer | |
| 2001 | Change moi ma vie | Fidel | |
| 2001 | Replay | Nicolas | |
| 2002 | Embrassez qui vous voudrez | Kévin | |
| 2002 | The Nest | Selim | |
| 2002 | Vivre me tue | Paul Smaïl | |
| 2003 | La Légende de Parva | Agni | Voice |
| 2003 | Playing 'In the Company of Men' | Léonard | |
| 2003 | Pas si grave | Charlie | |
| 2005 | Avant l'oubli | Augustin Burger | |
| 2005 | Zaïna, cavalière de l'Atlas | Mustapha | |
| 2006 | Days of Glory | Abdel Kader | |
| 2006 | Le Concile de pierre | Lucas | |
| 2007 | 24 mesures | Chris | |
| 2007 | Le Dernier gang | Casa | |
| 2007 | The Witnesses | Mehdi | |
| 2009 | The Whistler | Karim Chaouche | |
| 2009 | London River | Imam | |
| 2009 | Bitter Victory | Yacine Guesmila | |
| 2009 | Le Premier Cercle | Saunier | |
| 2010 | De vrais mensonges | Jean | |
| 2010 | Outside the Law | Abdelkader | |
| 2011 | Omar Killed Me | Omar Raddad | |
| 2011 | Carré blanc | Philippe | |
| 2014 | Patchwork Family | Christian | |
| 2014 | Divin Enfant | Jean | |
| 2015 | Braqueurs | Yanis Zeri | |
| 2015 | A Stormy Summer Night | Nabil | |
| 2015 | Good Luck Algeria | Sam | |
| 2016 | Pattaya | Krimo's father | |
| 2016 | Scribe | Labarthe | |
| 2017 | The Blessed | Samir | |
| 2018 | Through the Fire | Dr. Almeida | |
| 2018 | The Bouncer | Zeroual | |
| 2019 | A Son | Fares Ben Youssef | |
| 2019 | Paradise Beach | Mehdi | |
| 2020 | Earth and Blood | Sami | |
| 2022 | Our Ties | Moussa | |
| 2024 | The Crow | Kronos | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Une voix en or | | Film |
| 2001 | Combats de femme – Libre à tout prix | The supervisor | |
| 2011 | Signature | Toman | |
| 2014 | My Son's Murderer Will Die Tonight | Antoine Harfouche | Film |
| 2016 | Don't Leave Me | Medhi | Film |
| 2017–2018 | Remember | Belgarde | |
| 2020 | Of Earth and Blood | Saïd | Film |
| 2021 | Ganglands | Mehdi | |
| 2023 | Black Butterflies | Carrel |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Director |
| 1993 | Romeo and Juliet | Daniel Benoin |
| 1995 | La Traversée ou le Cri de Peter Pan | Éric de Dadelsen |
| 1996 | Sallinger | Anne-Françoise Benhamou & Denis Loubaton |
| 2004 | Gagarin Way | Bertrand Bossard |
| 2013 | Ring | Catherine Schaub |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1995 | Thessaloniki Film Festival | Best Actor | Bye-Bye | Won |
| 2000 | Cabourg Film Festival | Male Revelation | Drôle de Félix | Won |
| 2006 | Cannes Film Festival | Best Actor | Days of Glory | Won |
| 2008 | César Award | Best Supporting Actor | The Witnesses | Won |
| 2012 | César Award | Best Actor | Omar Killed Me | Nominated |
| 2015 | Dubai International Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | — | Won |
| 2019 | Venice Film Festival | Horizons Award for Best Actor | A Son | Won |
| 2021 | César Award | Best Actor | A Son | Won |