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The playwright and lawyer Said Benali was born in the Belgian capital, Brussels, in 1972, to parents whose origins trace back to the city of Jebha. In the future, he desires to return to his ancestors' homeland and launch projects in the tourism sector, and he also seeks to present his plays in the kingdom.
Said has been working as a government employee in Belgium for about three decades. He is a father of three children and has been passionate about reading and writing since childhood. However, he chose to transition from the world of «hobby» to the world of «professional» writing about ten years ago. In an interview with Yabiladi, he said, «At first, I was writing short stories, then I moved on to writing novels, and then writing plays, which I find more appealing than anything else and where I find myself».
His love for the world of books and culture also led him to establish a publishing house two years ago called «Les nouvelles éditions belges», which he says is «dedicated to novelists and short story writers in Belgium».
Said affirms that he owes his love for reading to his high school teacher, who presented classic works in a way that motivated them to read. He continued, «I have always had this desire, this need to write, and as time went on, my desire and need to write grew».
The passing of his mother «a little too early» had a significant impact on Said's life. He says, «I needed to vent, to talk about myself and understand myself. I started writing and sharing my writings about ten years ago when I created my Facebook account and wrote some poetic verses to express myself. And certainly, we hide some things behind words, so what we write doesn't necessarily mean that we are expressing ourselves completely, but that's where things started».
He added, «I saw that there were people interacting with what I was writing, and from there, some verses turned into a collection of short stories called 'Stories from Here and There,' but they are not available now and need to be republished».
«After that, I wrote my first novel, where I needed to express the departure of my mother, who left life far too early for her children, I think. So, I wrote her story, but it's actually her telling it. I didn't want to write an autobiography told in my own words, but I tried to delve into her character to tell her own story. And that's how the novel 'Mes tendres derniers jours' was born».
Said Benali then wrote another novel called «Psy», a fictional novel, and after that, he moved on to writing plays, including the play «Don Jamal». He said, «I wrote this play about five years ago, but it remained neglected for some time because I couldn't find a team to work on it, and it required some funding. Then I got financial support that helped me finish the play, form a complete team, and conduct rehearsals, which actually happened».
According to him, «It's not just about writing a play; I think the most important thing is also to be a project manager, to be able to find the necessary financial support, and this takes a lot of time, especially since I'm not from the artistic community, so I'm gradually learning the different aspects of this field».
The play «Don Jamal«is a kind of contemporary Don Juan. He said, «I used the Don Juan style a little, but I wanted to get closer to reality, especially the reality in Brussels, so we know 'Don Jamal,' but we don't know exactly his origins. Maybe he has origins given his name 'Jamal,' but it appears in the play that he has a completely Flemish grandfather, so I tried to create a character that is a mixture of several cultures, and he is an inherently arrogant person. In fact, he is a kind of Don Juan, meaning he suffers from an inner emptiness, as I see it. He tries to fill this emptiness by attracting attention and always being in the process of seduction, and he always has a need to achieve new 'victories.' Whenever a woman or a girl falls into his web, he feels happy, but only for a moment, then he wants to move on to something else because the emptiness returns again».
A diverse group of actors from different cultural backgrounds and artistic paths, including professionals and amateurs, participate in embodying the play «Don Jamal». «But I see that amateurs are the ones who love what they do, so it's important for me to have this kind of actor, and thanks to their diversity, we can create something wonderful that the audience feels when they attend the performance».
Although the play talks about the reality of Brussels, Said Benali believes that it can be performed in other major cities because it represents the reality of many multicultural global cities.
Said Benali has also written other plays, including «Guantanamo», «Sororité», «Has-been», «La vie est une boîte de chocolats, il ne faut pas laisser les autres vous la bouffer», and «Speed-dating».
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Through his plays, Said Benali tries to address several issues in a simple and humorous way, aiming to stimulate discussion. «After the performance, some people talk about some parts as not being funny but more moving, and others see the opposite, but the goal is to spark discussion on all topics, even those that may be embarrassing».
Said Benali hopes to present his plays in his homeland, Morocco, noting that he is currently building relationships with people interested in the artistic field in the kingdom. He concluded by saying, «Morocco is my homeland and the homeland of my ancestors, and I visit it regularly. I am also thinking of launching projects in the tourism sector in the kingdom and returning to live there in the future».
