IMDb > Al-massir (1997)

Al-massir (1997) More at IMDbPro »


IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   698 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 9% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Youssef Chahine (writer)
Khaled Youssef (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Destiny on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 October 1998 (USA) more
Plot:
The story is set in the 12th century in Arab-ruled Spanish province Andalusia, where famed philosopher... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
3 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Summer Preview: Repertory Calendar for the Coasts
 (From IFC. 5 May 2009, 1:32 PM, PDT)

Chahine Dies After Long Bout Of Ill Health
 (From WENN. 27 July 2008, 7:33 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Brave, exuberant filmmaking more (13 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Nour El-Sherif ... Averroes (as Nour El Cherif)
Laila Eloui ... Manuella
Mahmoud Hemida ... Al Mansour, The Caliph (as Mahmoud Hemeida)
Safia El Emari ... Averroes' Wife (as Safia El Emary)
Mohamed Mounir ... The Bard

Khaled Nabawy ... Nasser, The Crown Prince (as Khaled El Nabaoui)
Seif El Dine ... The Caliph's Brother (as Seif Abdel Rahman)
Abdalla Mahmoud ... Borhan
Ahmed Fouad Selim ... Cheikh Riad
Magdi Idris ... Emir of the Sect
Ahmed Moukhtar ... Bard
Sherifa Maher ... Manuella's Mother
Rayek Azzab ... El Razi
Hassan El Adl ... Gaafar
Hani Salama ... Abdalla
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Destiny (USA)
El maseer (alternative transliteration)
Le destin (France)
more
Runtime:
135 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Caliph's brother: Thoughts have wings. No one can prevent them from flying. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Humbert Balsan, producteur rebelle (2006) (TV) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful.
Brave, exuberant filmmaking, 17 March 1999
10/10
Author: claude-18 from Woodstock, NY

Americans and Europeans should treat themselves to the courageous joy of this infectious film, if you can find it. If you're looking for Latcho Drom with a great story, this is it!

Destiny is singularly beautiful in that it celebrates humanist passions and ideas as they were once allowed to be expressed in the Islamic culture of 12th century Spain. The Egyptian director Youssef Chahine ventures this anti-fundamentalist statement in a contemporary cultural climate where fundamentalism is on the rise. It exposes the street fascism and subtle eroticism that seduces young men into such sects.

Destiny is exuberant. It has humor, music, dancing, free thinking dialogue, intriguing sets and architecture and, most of all, the ensemble portrayal of a joyful philosophic community whose members you can really grow to love. All the earthly things fundamentalists detest!

Chahine deserves a larger world audience, by virtue of his bravery and outspoken-ness. He argues at risk of his own life in this film. If Akira Kurosawa could be embraced so wholeheartedly by the international community, so should Chahine. This film is a landmark. I hope financing from our part of the world will find its way to him. He has guts and passion.

The film itself is like nothing else you will see made on these shores. It is emotionally unabashed. Our western ideals of coolness and hipness restrict many of our directors and actors. Passion is too often reserved for climactic moments, and commonly those moments are angry intimidation or vengeance scenes sparked by the Pacino clones of the world. Much of the actor's job is running and posing. In Destiny, the actors are not posing - they are joyfully uninhibited and alive!

Recommended highly!! Vigorous entertainment. Brave ideas. Exotic sets. Bold, hand-hewn directorial craftsmanship. Great true story. And your only chance to see 12th century Andalusian culture come alive!

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (13 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Al-massir (1997)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Sunshine Jesus Camp Ridicule Cristo si è fermato a Eboli A Mighty Heart
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb France section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.