Writer/director Sofia Djama’s debut drama is set in Algiers in the wake of the long, brutal civil war that lasted throughout the 1990s. Many Algerians fled the country; the ones who remain are caught between the trauma of the past, the challenges of the present, and the dashed hopes of the future. Over 24 hours, a handful of characters—a couple trying to celebrate their 20th anniversary with a night out, kids wanting to hang out with their friends—reckon with this state of affairs. But it’s not all bleak: “The Blessed is also a warm, intimately hewn drama” (Hollywood Reporter) with graceful performances. The film has been warmly received on the festival circuit.